São Paulo fans back Pablo Maia as starter for the Majestoso derby | OneFootball

In last Sunday’s training session at SuperCT, São Paulo received some good news: midfielder Pablo Maia, who is recovering from a tendon injury in his right foot, participated in training as normal, without any restrictions. This Monday, he was present in Tricolor’s activities once again.

As a result, the midfielder is expected to be available to coach Hernán Crespo for the derby against Corinthians, which takes place this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Neo Química Arena, for the 34th round of the Brazilian Championship.

A poll conducted by Gazeta Esportiva asked Tricolor fans if they approved of Pablo Maia’s presence in São Paulo’s starting lineup for the derby. The result was positive: 84.21% of participants were in favor of the player starting, while 15.79% were against.

Majestoso week! #VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪

📸 Erico Leonan / São Paulo FC pic.twitter.com/YTHZZ00J5F

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) November 17, 2025

A starter in the last 12 matches under Crespo’s command, Pablo Maia is expected to be included in the squad for the Majestoso once again. The question now is whether the Argentine coach will choose to use him from the start or prefer to preserve him physically.

The situation is complicated by the lack of alternatives in the position. Tricolor has 11 players in the medical department, including midfielders such as Marcos Antônio (injury to the left hamstring), Luan (right adductor injury), and Oscar (vasovagal syncope). With so many absences, Crespo may have little room to choose.

São Paulo’s position in the standings

São Paulo has gone two matches without a win and occupies eighth place in the Brasileirão standings, with 45 points. The team’s goal is to secure a spot in the 2026 Libertadores. However, the gap to Fluminense, who currently hold the last G7 spot, is six points.

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