São Paulo Faces Difficulties Before the Match Against Cruzeiro

This Wednesday (7), at 21h30, at the Mineirão, São Paulo will have to face a real marathon of problems to take on Cruzeiro in the Brazilian Championship. The Tricolor arrives for this battle without Rafael, as well as with several uncertainties and other absences across all areas of the pitch. Let’s take a closer look at this situation!

Injuries and Doubts: What to Expect From the Tricolor?

In goal, Rafael won’t be the solution. He felt pain in his lower back during the warm-up for the derby against Santos last Friday and was replaced by Coronel even before the match began. Unfortunately, the goalkeeper is still not 100% fit and will not be able to play against his former club, Cruzeiro. Thus, Coronel will take over again under the crossbars.

Returns and Expectations

The good news is that Rafael may return on Saturday to face Vitória. And who knows—Lucas Moura might also not return in the same match? He has been out for more than six months, recovering from a rupture in his Achilles tendon, but we’re already hoping to see him back!

Dilemmas in Attack and Defense

Among the outfield players, we have Danielzinho, Iago, and Luciano as doubts after the defeat of 2 to 1 against Santos. Luciano is a situation that worries Dorival Júnior, who is already thinking about using more of the young talents to bolster the attack.

In defense, the situation isn’t any better. Dorival will have to improvise without Domingos Duarte, who suffered an injury to the previous cruciate ligament in his knee. And at fullback, both Iago and Danielzinho are dealing with muscular issues.

Possible Replacements

The expectation is that Gustavo Santana and Ryan Francisco will get another chance in the starting XI. Both have had moments as starters in recent matches and are the main bets to form the attack in today’s game—during the derby, Ryan was the coach’s choice.

The Need for Points

São Paulo is looking to bounce back after the loss in the San-São and is under pressure in the final stretch of the Brasileirão. The team knows it needs to rack up points to stay away from the relegation zone and, at the same time, keep alive the chance to fight for a spot in the Libertadores. Currently, the side sits in the 10th position, with 36 points.

Match Details

So, stay tuned! São Paulo and Cruzeiro meet this Wednesday (7), at 21h30, at the Mineirão, and you can follow everything on SporTV and Premiere. Let’s cheer and keep an eye on the Tricolor’s performance!