Felipe Melo disapproves of Abel Ferreira’s attitude, Palmeiras coach: ‘A very big mistake’
Former player commented on the return to work in 2026.
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Palmeiras squad is preparing to return to the Football Academy this Sunday (4). The start of training takes place less than a week before the team’s debut in the Campeonato Paulista, however, coach Abel Ferreira will only join the group a little later. The attitude did not please former player and current commentator Felipe Melo, who spoke out on social media.
As usual, the veteran Portuguese coach will get a few extra days of vacation and is expected back by the 8th, just before the match against Portuguesa, scheduled for the 10th at 8:30 pm (Brasilia time), at the Canindé Stadium, for the first round of the Paulistão.
Through his social media, Felipe Melo recalled that when he played for Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira used to return to training after the rest of the squad, but he understood that due to the pandemic, it was necessary. However, the former player disagrees with the coach’s decision this season.
According to Felipe Melo, Abel Ferreira should be the first to return to his post after Palmeiras’ lackluster season in 2025. The commentator described this as a “big mistake” and highlighted that it brings even more responsibility for the team to win titles again this year. See below.
“When I was still playing for Palmeiras, after our first Libertadores title, the current president lent him a plane to go to Portugal, and at that time he had already returned after the players, but at that moment I understood him returning later. We spent a lot of time in the pandemic, his family also lived abroad, and we had won the competitions. Now, from the news that’s coming out, he’s going to return later again. It was a year that Palmeiras spent a lot and won nothing. I think he should be the first to report. I think it’s a huge mistake; he’s a great coach, but I have no doubt that the players will think the same way,” he said, before adding.
“Honestly, when it happened back then, I understood and applauded; in fact, he needed and deserved to come back later, to be there with his family, it’s complicated. Now, after a year without winning anything, I think it’s wrong. Since I don’t sit on the fence, I think this brings even more responsibility for Palmeiras to return to winning important competitions in 2026,” Felipe Melo concluded.
Palmeiras continues to have absences, but counts on an important player returning.
At the beginning of 2026, only striker Paulinho, in the final stages of recovery from surgery on his right leg, and midfielder Lucas Evangelista, who underwent surgery in October after tearing the tendon in his right hamstring, are expected to take a few more weeks to be available to the coaching staff.
On the other hand, goalkeeper Weverton, who missed the final stretch of the season for Palmeiras due to a fracture in his right hand, didn’t stop during the holidays and continued training in an attempt to regain his starting position in Abel Ferreira’s team. He’s competing for the position with Carlos Miguel, while Marcelo Lomba is also in contention.
