Palmeiras host Atlético Junior at Allianz Parque on 28 May 2026, with kickoff at 22:00 UTC, in the final Matchday 6 fixture of Copa Libertadores Group F. Sitting second on eight points, one behind Cerro Porteño, they need at least a draw to reach the Round of 16, while Junior, on four points and all but eliminated, are here mostly to finish with some dignity after a difficult group stage. Palmeiras are also top of the Brazilian Série A after 17 matches, so momentum is not the problem. The growing injury list is.
Abel Ferreira has been in charge since November 2020 and recently extended until December 2027, which tells you everything about how well things have gone: two Copa Libertadores titles, multiple Série A crowns and a disciplined possession based system that has become one of the most recognisable in South American football. Alfredo Arias, appointed mid 2025, works from the opposite end of the tactical spectrum, preferring compact defensive blocks and quick transitions. The two have never met in competitive football, which means you can scout the system but cannot fully account for how two coaches read each other in real time.
Palmeiras arrive with a 3-0 win over Flamengo on 24 May and a 1-1 draw with Cruzeiro on 17 May behind them, though a 0-1 defeat to Cerro Porteño on 21 May is precisely why they still need a result here rather than being already through. Junior have been erratic, mixing a 3-2 win over Sporting Cristal with a 0-1 loss to Cerro Porteño and their 1-1 draw with Palmeiras in the reverse fixture on 8 April was enough to show they can cause problems even on the road.
Bruno Fuchs, Joaquín Piquerez, Figueiredo, Vitor Roque, Ramón Sosa and Benedetti are all out for Palmeiras, which is a lot of depth stripped away at once. The core defensive partnership of Gustavo Gómez and Murilo remains intact but the attacking options are thin. Flaco López is expected to lead the line in a 4-2-3-1 with Carlos Miguel in goal and Agustín Giay at right back, while Andreas Pereira and Jhon Arias, with Pereira dropping deep to receive and Arias pushing forward in support of López, are the main creative outlets behind him.
Junior carry their own concerns: Fabián Ángel faces a possible suspension, Deiber Caicedo is sidelined and Carlos Bacca's Achilles issue means Arias may have no reliable finisher to call on up front. Teófilo Gutiérrez may start if fit, with Arias likely setting up in a 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 anchored by Mauro Silveira.
Palmeiras will dominate possession and rely on Giay's late runs from right back, which have been one of their main sources of crosses this season, combined with Pereira's creativity to open Junior up, with Gómez and Murilo tasked with tracking Gutiérrez or Guillermo Paiva on the break. The midfield contest between Pereira and Arias against Juan David Ríos and Cristian Barrios will matter in that it determines whether Junior can win the ball high enough to actually use it, though how much it shapes the result depends on whether López has anyone to link with in front of him.
Junior's plan is straightforward: defend deep, find Bryan Castrillón or Gutiérrez on the counter and threaten from set pieces through Silveira's range. Given the absences in front of Gómez and Murilo, that is a realistic rather than merely desperate approach.
Palmeiras hold a clear historical edge, winning at least four of their prior meetings with Colombian opposition. The most recent game ended 1-1, with Gutiérrez converting a penalty before Sosa equalised. Sosa is out tonight.
There is a version of this where Palmeiras press Junior into their own half inside ten minutes, score before the half-hour and play out the rest for a comfortable qualification. There is also a version where the absences thin the attacking options to the point where López is isolated up front, Junior sit deep and earn something from a set piece or a counter and it is the second scenario we lean towards. Palmeiras should qualify but the draw feels more probable than a comfortable win: the absences are real, Junior have every reason to run hard and Allianz Parque has seen tighter nights than this.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
