Abel must choose between ‘exposed’ defensive midfielder or improvisation

Aníbal Moreno will be absent for Palmeiras’ game tomorrow at 8:30 pm (Brasília time) against Cruzeiro at Allianz Parque. The defensive midfielder’s presence is uncertain for the crucial match against LDU, leaving Abel with a challenging task to solve in the midfield until then. Abel Ferreira faces a dilemma as he only has two options for the defensive midfielder position against Cruzeiro: to start Emiliano Martinez, immediate substitute, or to improvise with center-back Bruno Fuchs in that role (as seen in the heavy defeats against Juventude and RB Bragantino in the Brazilian league). However, neither player is currently in good form. Emi replaced Aníbal in the 3-0 loss to LDU, where he was tasked with marking Gabriel Villamíl, who scored two goals and was named the man of the match.