Palmeiras v São Paulo: tension on pitch, friendship off it | OneFootball

Palmeiras and São Paulo face each other this Sunday (5th) with a history of tension between the managements in recent years, but also a new chapter of rapprochement.

Friendly Atmosphere in 2023

In 2023, Palmeiras hosted matches at the rival's stadium for the Brazilian Championship and Libertadores, due to scheduled events at Allianz Parque. This scenario hadn't occurred since the early 2000s.

The agreement provided for reciprocity. Thus, São Paulo could use Allianz Parque on dates when its stadium was occupied by shows. It was at the Palmeiras' home that the rival was eliminated by Água Santa in that year's Paulistão, for example.

Although painted as a practical solution for calendar conflicts, the agreement was not free from criticism: Palmeiras' advisors requested the suspension of the measure, citing incompatibility with the clubs' history and security risks.

On the occasion, both teams signed a joint note stating that 'no significant damage was found in the stadium facilities' and advocating that the rivalry be restricted to the field.

New Year, New Fight

The friendly atmosphere remained in 2023. In March 2024, after a draw between Palmeiras and São Paulo at Morumbi, São Paulo's football director Carlos Belmonte was caught calling Abel Ferreira a “Portuguese bastard,” amid complaints and controversies with the match refereeing.

In less than a week, Belmonte issued a public apology, admitting that the phrase was 'inappropriate.' Palmeiras, in turn, condemned the episode and declared that it was considering legal measures against what it classified as a xenophobic act.

Libra and Flamengo

Curiously, Palmeiras and São Paulo have found reasons to unite in recent months. Although temporarily, one of the points of convergence is the Brazilian Football League (Libra) and the disputes over revenue distribution and negotiation power against entities such as CBF and television broadcasters. Both oppose Flamengo, which obtained an injunction in the Rio de Janeiro court blocking transfers of R$ 77 million from Libra originating from the 30% fixed income percentage related to closed and open TV audience, as well as pay-per-view.

Besides Verdão, the other league members (São Paulo, Santos, Atlético-MG, Red Bull Bragantino, Grêmio, Bahia, Vitória, Remo, Paysandu, Volta Redonda, ABC, Guarani, Brusque, and Sampaio Corrêa) also did not receive the money.

Upcoming Palmeiras Matches

São Paulo vs Palmeiras – Brazilian Championship – 10/5 (Sunday), 4 PM (Brasília time)

Palmeiras vs Juventude – Brazilian Championship – 10/11 (Saturday), 7 PM (Brasília time)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.