Palmeiras Faces Cruzeiro in High-Stakes Brasiliero Match

São Paulo, Brazil – Palmeiras will host Cruzeiro on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 8:30 PM local time at Allianz Parque for the 30th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. The match is crucial as both teams are competing for top spots in the league.

Palmeiras enters this match under pressure after suffering two significant losses. They fell 3-2 to Flamengo last Sunday and lost 3-0 to LDU in a Libertadores semifinal match on Thursday. Despite these setbacks, Palmeiras leads the league with 61 points, one victory ahead of second-placed Flamengo.

In contrast, Cruzeiro is coming off a 1-0 victory against Fortaleza, which ended a string of four games without a win. The team is in third place with 56 points and aims to close the gap on the leaders.

Coach Abel Ferreira faces a lineup dilemma, needing to balance maintaining momentum in the league while preparing for the crucial return leg against LDU. He has confirmed that left-back Piquerez will miss Sunday’s match due to suspension after being sent off in the last game. Jefté will replace him, while Aníbal Moreno is a doubt with a calf injury.

The probable lineup for Palmeiras includes: Carlos Miguel; Giay, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo (Bruno Fuchs), and Jefté; Emiliano Martínez, Andreas Pereira, Felipe Anderson (Sosa), and Mauricio; Vitor Roque and Flaco López.

Cruzeiro’s coach Leonardo Jardim has welcomed back goalkeeper Cássio, who missed the last game due to a concussion protocol. However, they will be without striker Marquinhos, who suffered a serious knee injury during training and is expected to be sidelined for seven months.

The expected lineup for Cruzeiro features: Cássio; Kaiki, Villalba, Fabrício Bruno, and William; Lucas Silva, Lucas Romero, and Matheus Pereira; Christian, Wanderson, and Kaio Jorge.

This match will not only be pivotal for the title race but may also have implications for Libertadores qualifications.