Abel Ferreira, the sharp tactician at Palmeiras, knows a thing or two about the mind games of a title race. Even after a crucial win put his team comfortably in the lead, he quickly moved to temper any soaring spirits. He understands how easy it is for success to breed overconfidence. His message to the squad was clear and direct: stay grounded.
Palmeiras recently secured a vital win against Juventude in a rescheduled 12th-round fixture. This victory put them three points clear at the top of the Brasileirão table, ahead of rivals Flamengo. But for the Portuguese coach, looking at the standings right now is a distraction. “The truth is, the title won’t be decided until the very last match day,” Ferreira explained. “So, it helps little to look at the classification now. I believe it’s important for the players to understand this.”
Ferreira then turned his attention to the dangers of public adoration. He told his players to shrug off the praise that naturally follows big wins. “I always say this,” he stressed. “Pay attention to praise! They are imposters. Now, they’ll start saying how great Palmeiras is.” He reminded his team how fickle opinions can be. “Do you remember what they said about each of us when we lost to Corinthians? Our path must always be the same. We simply have to keep doing our work.”
Palmeiras, also known as Verdão, will be back on the pitch Wednesday. They host Bragantino in what promises to be a challenging home game. This match sets up a truly fiery clash with Flamengo, scheduled for the 19th. That huge match, part of Round 29, will take place at the historic Maracanã stadium. Winning both these upcoming games would put Abel Ferreira’s squad much closer to achieving their ultimate goal: the league title.