{"id":4658,"date":"2021-01-28T15:56:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T15:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gambyl.com\/?p=4658"},"modified":"2021-01-28T15:56:00","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T15:56:00","slug":"gabriel-veron-two-fellow-starlets-key-to-palmeiras-libertadores-hopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gambyl.com\/en\/football\/gabriel-veron-two-fellow-starlets-key-to-palmeiras-libertadores-hopes\/","title":{"rendered":"Gabriel Veron & two fellow starlets key to Palmeiras\u2019 Libertadores hopes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Palmeiras will play Santos in the final of the Copa Libertadores in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. Their campaign so far has been illuminated by the emergence of an exciting crop of young players.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the start of 2019, hopes were high among Palmeiras fans. The Verdao had just come off the back of winning Brazil\u2019s Serie A under the guidance of Big Phil Scolari, and it felt like it might be the start of a glorious epoch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palmeiras had built a new stadium with the help of private investment, opened in 2014, and through sensible financial management had eliminated previously crippling debts. With gate receipts flowing and further investment from sponsors, there was plenty of money sloshing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In came a slew of names including Ramires, Luiz Adriano<\/a> and Ricardo Goulart, as well as a number of quality players from other Brasileirao sides, to add to a squad that already had two good options in each position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given such gluttonous spending, Palmeiras were favourites to retain their league title and to add a long-awaited second Copa Libertadores to the cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet severe disappointment was just around the corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April, they lost the Sao Paulo state championship semi-final to an unfancied Sao Paulo team as Felipao struggled to keep his ridiculously bloated squad happy. And despite a positive start to the national league season that followed, things soon started to tail off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dire run in July and August saw Palmeiras drop to fifth in the league and crash out of the Libertadores to Gremio. The hardcore element of the fanbase turned on Scolari, at one point assembling outside the training ground and singing: \u201cFelipao, go fuck yourself, if you don\u2019t win tomorrow, it\u2019s you who\u2019s going to die.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

READ: \u2018Ketchup striker\u2019 Luiz Adriano conjured his Shakthar magic in the Libertadores<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a 3-0 loss to Flamengo on September 1, the former Chelsea boss was finally sacked. And while Flamengo went on to win the league and Libertadores double that Palmeiras had dreamed might come their way, playing brilliant football under Jorge Jesus, Palmeiras\u2019 season only got worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mano Menezes, the despised, defensively-minded former manager of bitter rivals Corinthians, was brought in to replace Scolari and Palmeiras eventually finished 16 points off top spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it came to the 2020 season, then \u2013 which will finally finish on Saturday with a Copa Libertadores final against state rivals Santos \u2013 the demands were different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palmeiras fans wanted to get back to being the Palmeiras that promoted from within and played on the front foot, in the tradition of the teams from their glorious past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In came club legend Vanderlei Luxemburgo for a fifth spell as boss and, after a clear out of deadwood in the Brazilian summer transfer window, a fresh project began, one that has centred around three young men who characterise this new-look Palmeiras: Gabriel Veron<\/a>, Gabriel Menino and Patrick de Paula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel Veron, who is named after the former Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian<\/a>, is the most immediately eye-catching of the trio and, having been the best player at the Under-17 World Cup in 2019, was already drawing a lot of attention from the big boys of European football \u2013 most notably Manchester United<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had made a two-goal senior debut for Palmeiras towards the end of 2019, and, with his explosive pace and dribbling, was the spark for some fine attacking performances alongside the more experienced Willian at the start of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, Veron told the Athletic: \u201cI\u2019m always looking to go at my man, to dribble past him, to make things happen. I like those individual battles.\u201d Rarely does he step on the pitch without backing those words with his actions.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Gabriel Veron (18) vs Delfin SC:<\/p>\n

2 goals
1 assist
46 touches
4 key passes
29\/32 passes completed(91%)
3\/3 dribbles completed<\/p>\n

World class performance from one of the biggest talent in Brazil. Take a look at this goal????pic.twitter.com\/0lAjjExOJe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 V10???????? (@BrasilTalents) December 3, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n