The Brazilian round of matches after the FIFA international break presents an additional challenge for Gremio coach Luis Castro.
With Malone’s injury serious – a fractured right ankle that will sideline him for five months – and Cayo Paulista unable to be used against Palmeiras (for contractual reasons) as he belongs to Verdo, Gremio had to quickly move into the background.
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Despite the long absence, the club’s board decided not to look for reinforcements in the external market.
according to Gethe bet will be on homegrown solutions.
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Pedro Gabriel (18 years old): This young left-back performed well in the last Copa America and is highly rated internally and will start against Palmeiras. He recently extended his contract until 2030 and will get his first big opportunity under Luís Castro.
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Cayo Paulista: Once the game against his old club is over, Cayo will naturally replace Malone for the rest of the season.
Market and protection
Gremio also closed the door to leave. At the request of Luis Castro, the club blocked Vitoria’s interest in centre-back Wagner Leonardo, whom the coach considers a key player for the team.
Up front, there is full confidence in Carlos Vinicius: the striker is the only player to feature in all 19 games of Gremio in 2026 and remains the team’s top scorer, despite his frustration at not being called up to the national team by Ancelotti during the FIFA international break.
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This article was translated into English by artificial intelligence. You can read the original version at 🇧🇷.
