Palmeiras runs over São Paulo, takes Paulista and reaffirms protagonism

For a team that has won a series of national and international titles in recent years, winning the Campeonato Paulista cup might not be so significant. But it won’t be like that for Palmeiras, who this Sunday (3) got a historic victory over São Paulo, 4-0 at Allianz Parque, to be state champion.

When the decision was drawn with both teams in the final, the alviverde team was pointed out as a favorite not only because of its squad, but above all because it is the São Paulo club with the most important titles in the last five years, such as two Libertadores (2020 and 2021), for example.

However, favoritism was not confirmed in the first game, at Morumbi, when São Paulo won 3-1. A score that required Palmeiras to win the second match by at least two goals to take the decision to penalties . But in front of their fans, the team did more.

Still in the first half, the team alviverde overthrew the advantage built by the rival in the first leg. Danilo, in the 22nd minute, and Zé Rafael, in the 28th minute, scored the goals that left the decision tied on aggregate.

Before the goals, which reflected the wide dominance of Palmeiras, the home fans complained of a penalty, when the ball hit Eder’s hand after Scarpa’s kick. Referee Raphael Claus reviewed the bid in the video but did not consider it an infraction. And he also didn’t see any irregularities in the second alviverde goal, when the tricolors were complaining about a foul in Calleri at the beginning of the move.

After the break, in the second minute, the hosts took the lead on aggregate, scoring the third with Raphael Veiga after a beautiful move by Dudu. Veiga himself would score once again, at 37, to close the score.

With his nerves on edge before the defeat, Rafinha was sent off in the 45th minute, leaving São Paulo one less, increasing the frustration of the tricolors.

When talking about the Palmeiras fans at Allianz, goalkeeper Weverton compared the São Paulo title to the continental ones. “We won two Libertadores, but I’ll tell you that none of them, none of these days was the same as today. Today was a tremendous day in our lives. It was a football that moves you, that makes you cry.”

It was Palmeiras’ second state title in the last five years – it also won in 2020 -, a period in which the club prioritized national and international disputes.

In this scenario, he started to feed a rivalry with Flamengo, with whom he polarized the fight for titles of greater importance, standing out from his state rivals.

Last year, for example, while São Paulo celebrated the conquest of Paulista that took the club out of a nine-year fast without trophies, the alviverde team arrived at the end of the year to conquer its third Libertadores.

In addition to the two continental ones and the two state ones, the Palmeiras team won the Brasileiro (2018), the Copa do Brasil (2020) and the Recopa Sul-Americana (2022), making the period one of the most victorious in the club’s history.

And the balance could be even greater since the team has accumulated five vices in the last five years: twice in the State (2018 and 2021), Recopa (2021), Supercopa do Brasil (2021) and Club World Cup (2021).

Despite the setback in the first game against São Paulo, the squad led by the Portuguese Abel Ferreira also had the best campaign in the State, with 11 wins, 3 draws and only one defeat, precisely in the first leg of the decision.

The performance reflects the regularity of the squad, which, in addition to its collective strength, has names capable of unbalancing a game, such as Dudu and Raphael Veiga.

There is also defensive consistency, a sector in which the main pillars are defender Gustavo Gómez and goalkeeper Weverton. The three goals conceded at Morumbi did not prevent the team from having the least leaked defense of the tournament, with six goals conceded in all phases.

One of the main responsible not only for the performance but for the recent achievements is Abel. By taking Palmeiras to the final of Paulista, the European coach was even closer to equaling a record at the club that belongs to Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The coach who gave the club its first Libertadores, in 1999, among other titles, adds up to ten decisions in total, considering only finals on an eliminatory basis. In all, he won six titles. Abel has nine and, with the state, reached the fifth conquest.

Idolized by the fans, the Portuguese also became the first coach in the club’s history to collect at least one state, national and international title. And he, like the crowd, wants more.