Key Facts
- Match: Palmeiras host Vasco on Sunday, 1 November, at 4 p.m. Brasília time (2 p.m. ET), in São Paulo.
- Injury: Striker Paulinho trains indoors with a right-calf injury and has not been cleared to play.
- Return leg: Vasco host Palmeiras on Sunday, 8 November, at 5 p.m. Brasília time (2 p.m. ET), in Rio de Janeiro.
- Final: The winner of the two-leg tie plays in the Copa do Brasil final on Sunday, 6 December, in Brasília.
Palmeiras, one of Brazil’s biggest clubs, returned to training on Thursday, 29 October, for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinals. The Copa do Brasil is the country’s national knockout cup, and its semifinals are played over two matches.
The squad worked at the club’s training centre, the Academia de Futebol in São Paulo, one day after a goalless draw with Santos in the Brazilian league. Players who had been on the pitch for more than 45 minutes against Santos trained indoors.
Paulinho Is Still Out
Striker Paulinho also worked indoors as he recovers from a right-calf injury. Local reports say he was diagnosed on 22 October, a day after Palmeiras beat Fluminense, a Rio de Janeiro club, on penalties in the Copa Libertadores semifinal.
That win put Palmeiras into the Libertadores final, South America’s biggest club match, scheduled for 28 November at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. No report says Paulinho has been cleared to play on Sunday.
The Four Matches
The first leg between Palmeiras and Vasco kicks off at 4 p.m. Brasília time (UTC-3, no daylight saving) at Nubank Parque. US clocks go back at 2 a.m. that Sunday, so the match starts at 2 p.m. Eastern, 1 p.m. Central, noon Mountain and 11 a.m. Pacific.
The other semifinal starts the same day, with Grêmio of Porto Alegre hosting Atlético-MG of Belo Horizonte at 6:30 p.m. Brasília time (4:30 p.m. ET) at the Arena do Grêmio. The return legs follow on Saturday, 7 November, when Atlético-MG host Grêmio at 6 p.m. Brasília time at the Arena MRV, and on Sunday, 8 November, at Vasco’s São Januário stadium.
What Is at Stake
The winner of each tie, decided on the combined score over both matches, goes to a single-match final on Sunday, 6 December, in Brasília. Palmeiras have won the cup four times, in 1998, 2012, 2015 and 2020, and reaching this final would be their sixth.
The final is expected at the Mané Garrincha stadium, but the kickoff time has not been set. A club chasing two trophies in five weeks will have to manage its squad carefully.
What It Means for US Readers
For fans in the United States, the first leg starts at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, and the Grêmio match follows at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Check your streaming service for rights, as we have not confirmed US broadcasters.
Brazilian football is also a business story, because the cup prize money and a Libertadores title feed directly into club finances. Palmeiras’ double chase shows how deep its squad has to be.
What Is Not Known
Whether Paulinho can play on Sunday is unknown, and the club has not announced a team. The kickoff time of the final is also still to be set.
No prediction market on these ties was active when we checked on Friday, 30 October.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Palmeiras against Vasco?
The first leg is on Sunday, 1 November, at 4 p.m. Brasília time (2 p.m. ET) at Nubank Parque. The return is on Sunday, 8 November, at São Januário.
Is Paulinho fit to play?
Not confirmed. He trained indoors on 29 October with a right-calf injury, and no report says he has been cleared.
Sources: Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) match schedule; Palmeiras club information; Brazilian sports press reports of 29 October. Published Friday, 30 October, 3:30 p.m. ET.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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