Key Takeaways
- Palmeiras will be looking to pull off the ultimate upset in the FIFA Club World Cup Quarterfinals against Chelsea on Friday.
- Manager Abel Ferreira and several Palmeiras players spoke to RG before this massive clash in Philly.
- Can the Brazilian club be the latest side to knock off a European giant?
Abel Ferreira head coach of Palmeiras (Photo by Ernesto Ryan/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA — Over the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed several remarkable upsets in the United States. Inter Miami defeated Porto in the group stage, becoming the first Concacaf side to beat a UEFA team in official club competition. That same day, Botafogo pulled off a shocking 1-0 win against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. The prevailing narrative of this tournament: Europe still boasts the strongest clubs, but the gap is narrowing.
That trend continued in the knockout round, with Fluminense eliminating Champions League runners-up Inter and Al-Hilal edging past Manchester City. On Friday, Palmeiras will aim to continue the trend of upsets as they face Chelsea.
Before Abel Ferreira’s appointment in 2020, Palmeiras had just one Copa Libertadores title — South America’s version of the Champions League. Since then, they’ve claimed the continent’s biggest prize twice and added two league titles. What’s perhaps most impressive is that their success hasn’t come from one standout player. For Ferreira, the true star is the entire squad.
“That’s the biggest compliment anyone can give my team — the star player is all of us,” Ferreira told RG. “When I was a footballer, I never liked seeing my teammates work so hard just for one player to shine. That’s not how I see football or life. It makes me very happy when you say the star is the team. We all work hard for a common goal. It’s not my dream or my victory; it’s our dream and our victory.
Whoever is selected, wherever we play, and against whomever we play, we play to win — that’s our motto.”
Many Verdão supporters were concerned as Palmeiras entered the Club World Cup following consecutive Brasileirão defeats to Flamengo and Cruzeiro. But those fears were quickly eased by a gritty 0-0 draw against Porto. Their second match in East Rutherford, N.J., saw both Palmeiras and Al Ahly go into halftime scoreless, prompting Ferreira to make a double substitution at the break — Maurício and José López replaced Vítor Roque and Raphael Veiga. Palmeiras took the lead soon after, when Wessam Abou Ali headed an Aníbal Moreno free kick into his own net. They doubled their advantage at the hour mark, extinguishing a dangerous free kick before countering quickly. The move ended with López calmly slotting home the decisive goal.
Despite competition from Brazil international Vítor Roque — who became the most expensive signing in South American history at €25.5 million in February — López has emerged as a key figure in Palmeiras’ attack. Whether starting or coming off the bench, he has scored four goals in his last seven appearances. Speaking to RG before the match, the Argentine forward said, “It’s very important to have many good players in every position because it helps the team grow. Vítor is a fantastic player, and the competition between us is healthy. It makes Abel’s decision harder.”
This squad depth has allowed Ferreira to keep opposing managers guessing through constant tactical adjustments. After a goalless draw with Porto, Ferreira switched from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1, bringing in Facundo Torres and Raphael Veiga for Maurício and Felipe Anderson. In the next match, Lucas Evangelista, Marcos Rocha, and López started in place of Moreno, Agustín Giay, and Roque. Inter Miami took a two-goal lead, but Ferreira responded quickly: he brought on Maurício for Veiga at halftime, Paulinho for Torres in the 55th minute, and Allan and Roque for Rocha and Evangelista in the 67th. Paulinho scored immediately after coming on, and Maurício equalized in the 87th minute to secure top spot in the group.
Next came an all-Brazilian showdown in Philadelphia against Botafogo, the reigning Brazilian and South American champions. Once again, Ferreira rotated his squad — Roque, Maurício, and Allan came in for López, Veiga, and Torres in attack. Emiliano Martínez earned a rare start in midfield, Giay replaced Rocha at right back, and Bruno Fuchs started at center back in place of the injured Murilo. After 64 goalless minutes, Ferreira made more changes: Luighi and Paulinho replaced Estêvão and Roque, followed by Mayke and Torres replacing Allan and Maurício. The winning goal came from Paulinho, who dribbled to the edge of the box, sent Botafogo captain Marlon Freitas the wrong way, and slotted home with his left foot.
Two weeks after Chelsea’s defeat to Flamengo in Philadelphia, Palmeiras will look to hand the Blues another loss to a Brazilian side in the City of Brotherly Love. But they’ll need to overcome a Chelsea squad that has bagged two or more goals in four of their last five matches — and they’ll have to do it without their top two central defenders, Gustavo Gómez and Murilo.
