Right after the draw with Atlético Mineiro at the Independência stadium some ten days ago, coach Cuca set a partial goal for Palmeiras: win the upcoming six games in order to keep the Brazilian championship title in sight. After two consistent 1-0 victories – at home against Coritiba and last Sunday away against Fluminense – the first third of the plan has been successfully fulfilled. “We are looking for those 18 points. It’s a partial goal. Against Santos, it will be difficult, but we’re growing in the competition and need to believe. We were 15 points behind the leader and we’ve shaved four off”, Cuca explains.
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Palmeiras currently rests in fourth place with the same 43 points as Grêmio, with Santos in second, one point ahead of the duo. Cuca believes the next four games will define the championship: Santos (home), Bahia (home), Atlético-GO (away) and Ponte Preta (home). “After this sequence of six games, we will make another mini-project. These partial goals make everything more fragmented and we can mobilize a little better”, the coach argues.
Palmeiras play Corinthians on 5 November. Out of the six rounds before the derby, Palmeiras play four at home, while the rival play only two. Add to this the rather different phases the teams are in, are we are likely to see the gap diminish further.
Palmeiras pre derby
30/9 – Palmeiras vs Santos (Allianz Parque)
12/10 – Palmeiras vs Bahia (Allianz Parque)
15/10 – Atlético-GO vs Palmeiras (Olímpico)
19/10 – Palmeiras vs Ponte Preta (Allianz Parque)
22/10 – Grêmio vs Palmeiras (Arena do Grêmio)
29/10 – Palmeiras vs Cruzeiro (Allianz Parque)
Corinthians pre derby
01/10 – Cruzeiro vs Corinthians (Mineirão)
11/10 – Corinthians vs Coritiba (Itaquera)
15/10 – Bahia vs Corinthians (Fonte Nova)
18/10 – Corinthians vs Grêmio (Itaquera)
21/10 – Botafogo vs Corinthians (Nilton Santos)
29/10 – Ponte Preta vs Corinthians (Moisés Lucarelli)
These next few weeks should be enjoyable. There’s nothing like the hunt, especially when unpretentious and rather relaxed. Not at all like being hunted…
Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
ANYTHING PALMEIRAS 