At Allianz Parque, Palmeiras drew 0-0 against Universitario this Thursday (21), in the second leg of the Conmebol Libertadores round of 16.
Since they won the first leg 4-0 in Peru, Verdão comfortably qualified for the quarterfinals.
With the big advantage secured in the first leg, Palmeiras took the field with the “handbrake on”.
A more mixed team, a certain lack of focus, and even a “demobilized” crowd made the match feel like it was played in slow motion.
In the first half, after Universitario had a goal disallowed for offside, the best chance was Allan’s header that hit the crossbar in stoppage time.
After the break, coach Abel Ferreira brought on some regular starters, but the game remained low-intensity, and the score stayed level.
With the qualification, Palmeiras will face River Plate in the quarterfinals. Having had the best overall campaign in the group stage, Verdão will play the second leg at home.
Reaching the quarterfinals secured another 1.7 million dollars (about R$ 9.3 million) for the club’s coffers.
The quarterfinal matches are expected to take place between September 17 and 24. The semifinals should be between October 22 and 29, while the grand final will be on November 29.
Palmeiras will be back on the field next Monday (25), when they host Sport at Allianz Parque at 7pm (BrasÃlia time), for the 21st round of the Brasileirão.
📸 Alexandre Schneider – 2025 Getty Images
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