Palmeiras needed to rethink after the lack of Estevao to Chelsea and a disappointing Membership World Cup.
Vitor Roque made an unconvincing begin – till Ferreira made a change.
Recognising that the striker likes house, and was not working squeezed between the centre-backs, the coach moved Vitor Roque in direction of the left channel, and introduced in Argentine centre-forward Juan Manuel ‘Flaco’ Lopez to play alongside him.
They clicked collectively, though having a strike duo can put a pressure on the remainder of the facet.
That was the case once they final met Flamengo, simply over a month in the past.
Though they had been away from house, Palmeiras pressed excessive. Flamengo tailored. As an alternative of their regular model, working the ball by way of Jorginho in midfield, they went direct. They’d much less possession and fewer photographs, however gained 3-2, and maybe extra convincingly than the scoreline would recommend.
There are many causes to imagine Saturday’s sport shall be totally different. For a begin, Flamengo centre-forward Pedro, excellent that day, is injured and misses the ultimate.
Filipe Luis lacks a like-for-like substitute. A risk would have been Ecuadorian winger Gonzalo Plata, who has at occasions crammed that position, however he’s suspended.
Flamengo, then, can not reproduce what they did in October, and, virtually actually, Palmeiras will look to do one thing totally different.
The calendar of Brazilian soccer is insane, the amount of journey and the variety of video games reworking the season into an endurance take a look at. Gamers are actually on their final legs, and this might drive Abel Ferreira right into a cautious strategy, usually his pure inclination for giant video games.
May he go together with 5 on the again? It’s a risk. Flamengo love stretching their opponents, reeling them in after which switching for ex-Manchester United right-back Guillermo Varela to seem as a component of shock on the far publish.
Palmeiras might observe the lead of the Argentine groups within the earlier rounds and block that with a again 5.
Ferreira might set as much as maintain off Flamengo’s depleted attacking sources, search to include their excellent playmaker, the Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta and spring Vitor Roque on the break.
The match, then, might nicely be attritional, at occasions producing extra warmth than gentle. However no matter occurs it’s going to be dramatic, it’s going to be historic and throughout South America it’s going to be remembered for a very long time to come back.
