Palmeiras host RB Bragantino at Allianz Parque on 24 October 2026 in a Série A fixture with genuine title race weight. Sitting one point off the top with 66 points from 31 matches, they need every home win available to keep pressure on Flamengo, whereas Bragantino arrive in tenth on 41 points having won once in their last five.
Palmeiras come in on a strong run, picking up three wins and a draw from their last five: a 2-0 over Athletico-PR on 18 October, a 4-1 against Corinthians around 11 October and a 1-0 over Bahia on 9 October. Bragantino have been patchier, with a 4-2 win over Cruzeiro on 13 October followed by back to back 1-1 draws against Remo and Mirassol after conceding late, suggesting a squad running short of concentration as much as quality.
Abel Ferreira, in charge at Palmeiras since October 2020, is without Paulinho (calf), Vitor Roque (returning from injury) and Andreas Pereira (suspension). Vagner Mancini, who took over at Bragantino in October 2025, has it worse, missing Gustavo Marques, Andrés Hurtado, Rodriguinho and Davi Gomes to injury alongside Erick Ramires to suspension. Five absences across the spine of a 4-2-3-1 is a lot to absorb in any game, let alone one away at a title contender.
Palmeiras set up in a 3-4-2-1 and the backline around Gustavo Gómez and Murilo is solid. With Paulinho, Vitor Roque and Andreas Pereira all absent, Ferreira will lean more on set pieces than usual, which might slow transitions a touch. Bragantino's high pressing 4-2-3-1 suits them in theory but without Ramires and several defensive options, sustaining that press for ninety minutes looks genuinely difficult. Lucas Barbosa (around seven goals) and Eduardo Sasha are the two most likely to cause damage up front while Tiago Volpi starts in goal, though whether the depleted midfield can win enough ball to give them anything to work with remains the central question.
If Palmeiras win the second ball (and they usually do) Flaco López should get chances against a thinned out backline. If Bragantino's press does land and Palmeiras switch off even briefly, Barbosa can score in a high-tempo game as the 4-2 win over Cruzeiro showed but sustaining that level of intensity with five players missing is a different matter.
The last five meetings have produced a 5-1, a 2-1 and a 1-0 for Palmeiras alongside a 0-0 draw and the stretched squads on both sides make dead ball situations potentially decisive this time round. With key figures absent on both sides, Gómez and Murilo become more valuable than usual as two centre backs who can win the ball in the air from a corner.
Palmeiras to win 2-0. Their defensive shape should hold even without the three absentees, Bragantino's depleted press will fade before the end and Flaco López, benefiting from a thinned out Bragantino backline, should get the first, with a second from a corner or free kick behind it. It would keep Palmeiras right in the title race, Flamengo still only one point clear.
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?.
