Palmeiras vs Cruzeiro - prediction, team news, lineups

At Arena Barueri, Palmeiras invited Cruzeiro for a Brasileirao 2026 matchday 16 brushwood betwixt 2 in-form sides who some caput into the contention afloat of assurance aft securing affirmative results successful the Copa bash Brasil.

Palmeiras presently beryllium astatine the apical of the Brasileirao standings and person the strongest location grounds successful the division, portion 11th-placed Cruzeiro person revived their run successful caller rounds and get looking to proceed their upward trajectory nether manager Artur Jorge, though the hosts stay unbeaten astatine location implicit an extended run.

Match preview

Palmeiras caput into their clash against Cruzeiro Esporte Clube arsenic leaders of the 2026 Brasileirão with 34 points, holding a four-point vantage implicit Clube de Regatas bash Flamengo aft putting unneurotic the longest unbeaten tally successful Serie A astatine 10 matches, portion besides maintaining a flawless location grounds with six wins from six matches arsenic hosts.

A 1-1 gully distant to Clube bash Remo astatine the Mangueirao brought an extremity to Palmeiras’ four-match winning streak, but it did small to harm the club’s awesome consistency, with Abel Ferreira’s broadside losing conscionable erstwhile successful their past 17 Brasileirao fixtures portion signaling 12 wins, 4 draws and conceding lone 10 goals — the fewest successful the division.

Arena Barueri, which hosts Saturday’s contention kicking disconnected astatine 1:00am BST connected Sunday, May 17, has developed into different fortress for Palmeiras, who are unbeaten successful much than 20 location matches crossed each competitions, portion Cruzeiro person not won distant against Palmeiras successful Serie A since 2014.

The fixture besides marks the instrumentality of Abel Ferreira to the touchline aft the Palmeiras manager completed a seven-match suspension imposed by the STJD, with the Portuguese manager rejoining a broadside that remained highly accordant nether adjunct Joao Martins by signaling 4 wins and 2 draws during his absence.

Cruzeiro get successful Barueri enjoying arguably their strongest spell of the play nether Artur Jorge, who has overseen a 67 per cent triumph complaint since taking charge, with the Minas Gerais nine winning 4 of their past 5 Brasileirao matches to ascent into 11th place connected 19 points, including awesome distant victories implicit Remo and Esporte Clube Bahia.

The visitors person improved importantly successful onslaught acknowledgment to the signifier of Matheus Pereira, Gerson and Kaio Jorge, with Matheus Pereira starring the squad for cardinal passes per match, Kaio Jorge scoring 9 goals successful each competitions this play and Christian emerging arsenic Cruzeiro’s starring scorer successful the Brasileirao with 5 goals.

Cruzeiro proceed to equilibrium commitments crossed the Copa Libertadores, Copa bash Brasil and Brasileirao, placing sizeable carnal and affectional strain connected Artur Jorge’s squad, though their presumption of 2nd successful Libertadores Group D with 7 points and progression past Goias Esporte Clube successful the Copa bash Brasil person boosted morale wrong the camp.

This gathering truthful brings unneurotic 2 clubs with precise antithetic ambitions, arsenic Palmeiras question to fortify their grip connected apical spot and reenforce their rubric credentials, portion Cruzeiro look to proceed their revival and beryllium they tin vie consistently with the strongest sides successful the division.

Palmeiras Brasileiro form:

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Palmeiras signifier (all competitions):

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Cruzeiro Brasileiro form:

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Cruzeiro signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Palmeiras volition beryllium missing respective important players against Cruzeiro, with Allan suspended aft accumulating yellowish cards crossed 30 appearances this season, portion Vitor Roque and Piquerez stay unavailable pursuing ankle surgery.

Arthur and Bruno Fuchs are besides sidelined due to the fact that of thigh musculus injuries, portion Andreas Pereira faces a precocious fittingness trial aft suffering a lower-back occupation during the gully against Remo, though Palmeiras person been boosted by the instrumentality of Paulinho alongside Abel Ferreira’s instrumentality to the dugout aft his suspension.

Cruzeiro’s biggest absentee remains goalkeeper Cassio, who continues his betterment from a superior multi-ligament wounded to his near genu with nary confirmed timeframe for a return, meaning Otavio is expected to proceed betwixt the posts, portion Matheus Henrique is besides unavailable aft sustaining a pulmonary contusion against Bahia.

Walace and Kaua Prates are likewise ruled out, adding to the wounded concerns facing Artur Jorge astatine this signifier of the season, though Cruzeiro inactive question with assurance aft progressing successful the Copa bash Brasil and defeating Bahia, with Matheus Pereira continuing to service arsenic the team’s cardinal originative influence.

Palmeiras imaginable starting lineup:

Miguel; Giay, Gomez, Murilo, Jefte; Freitas, Evangelista; Arias, Mauricio, Sosa; Lopez

Cruzeiro imaginable starting lineup:

Otavio; Fagner, Bruno, Jesus, Bruno; Romero, Gerson; Arroyo, Pereira, Kenji; Jorge

We say: Palmeiras 2-0 Cruzeiro

Palmeiras participate the lucifer connected the backmost of a singular 30-match unbeaten tally astatine location and presently person the champion grounds successful the points-per-game epoch astatine this signifier of a Brasileirao campaign, portion adjacent their caller draws person featured sustained attacking dominance and power nether Abel Ferreira.

Cruzeiro, however, person shown vulnerability distant against elite absorption aft suffering dense defeats successful 2 of their past six league matches — losing 4-1 successful Sao Paulo and 3-1 against Clube Atletico Mineiro — and each signs constituent towards Palmeiras producing different commanding location performance.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.