Bia Zaneratto leads Palmeiras toward women's Libertadores

Bia Zaneratto is back in the spotlight as she prepares for Palmeiras' third appearance in the Women's Libertadores, which kicks off in Quito, Ecuador, this Thursday, the 15th.

Suspension against Argentina and availability for the Libertadores

The forward served a suspension in the first friendly against Argentina, held on the 10th, but will be available for the match this coming Tuesday, the 13th, at the Arena de Pernambuco, at 8:30 PM.

Goalscoring history and titles of the top scorer

At 32 years old, Bia Zaneratto is one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the Brazilian Women's National Team and Palmeiras, where she has already scored 65 goals in 106 matches. Between 2021 and 2022, she claimed the top scorer award, best forward, MVP of the Brasileirão, and the Golden Ball, in addition to titles such as the Campeonato Paulista and the 2022 Libertadores.

Team preparation in Quito

Palmeiras arrived in Quito on Sunday morning, the 11th, and held their first training session at the Casa de la Selección. Full-back Fe Palermo highlighted the quality of the technical and physical work, even with the workload reduced due to travel and altitude. The group practiced set pieces under the guidance of assistant coach Bruno Proton and goalkeeper coach Michel Recarti.

Objective of a second title and the "win or win" mentality

According to Bia Zaneratto, the mission is to repeat the success of 2022, when Palmeiras won the Libertadores undefeated, with a 4-1 victory over Boca Juniors in the final. She reinforces the club's obsession with the title and the importance of entering with the same mentality as the previous campaign.

Altitude challenges and tight schedule

Executive director Alberto Simão warned about the difficulty of playing at high altitude and the schedule of back-to-back matches: Universitario (15), Belgrano (18), and Independiente Dragonas (21). He emphasized that physical preparation aims to minimize respiratory effects and that the tournament holds great financial value for the club.

Team expectations and national team reinforcements

In addition to Bia, full-back Raíssa Bahia and forward Tainá Maranhão join the squad directly from Recife. The roster, which includes goalkeepers Natascha, Ravena, and Tainá (alternate), is seeking the second title with strength and unity, as stated by Fe Palermo.

With information from Diario de Pernambuco, ge, Palmeiras.