Palmeiras Lose Starting Center-Back Pair Ahead of Crucial Match vs Cruzeiro

Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira will face a new challenge ahead of Sunday's decisive clash against Cruzeiro, the team’s final fixture before the FIFA Club World Cup. As reported by Lance!, defenders Gustavo Gómez and Murilo will miss the match after receiving their third yellow cards and being handed automatic suspensions.

The loss comes on the heels of absences in the previous match, when Richard Ríos and Ferreira himself missed the 2–0 defeat to Flamengo. Both will return for the upcoming game, but in defense, Bruno Fuchs and Micael—recently back from injury—are expected to start as the new center-back duo.

Palmeiras currently lead the Brasileirão by a single point over Flamengo, making the trip to Belo Horizonte critical. Additionally, three players—Fuchs, Piquerez, and Estêvão—are one booking away from suspension. For Estêvão, this will be his final league appearance before departing the club. Before traveling to face Cruzeiro, Palmeiras will host Sporting Cristal on Wednesday in a Libertadores match that will serve as a formality, with the team already locked in as group leaders.