The Supercopa do Brasil 2024 is set to take place this Sunday, February 4, 2024. On one side, we have the current Brasileirão champion, Palmeiras, and on the other, the current Copa do Brasil champion, São Paulo. For the first time, we will witness a regional derby to determine who will be the Super Champion of Brazil, adding an extra layer to the traditional “Choque-Rei” rivalry, which has stood out as one of the most prominent regional clashes in recent years.
Below, we will provide a brief overview of the championship-winning campaigns of both teams that earned them the right to compete in the Supercopa, as well as expectations for this exciting match.
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Index
Choque-Rei in Recent Seasons
It’s been a while since Palmeiras and São Paulo have faced each other more than the usual three matches in a season (Paulistão and home-and-away fixtures in Brasileirão). Since 2021, they have clashed 19 times.
In 2021, the two giant teams contested the Campeonato Paulista final, where São Paulo emerged victorious, lifting the trophy after a 16-year drought in the State Championship. The 2021 season also featured a Choque-Rei in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores, with Palmeiras advancing to the semifinals and ultimately becoming the champions of the fiercely contested tournament.
In 2022, they met again in the Paulistão final, this time with Palmeiras securing victory. The first leg at Morumbi ended 3-1 in favor of São Paulo, but a historic comeback at Allianz Parque, fueled by the passionate home crowd, led to a 4-0 win for Palmeiras. Additionally, in 2022, the teams faced off in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil, with São Paulo winning in a penalty shootout to advance to the quarterfinals.
Moving to the 2023 season, the clubs clashed once again, this time in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. São Paulo broke the tradition of never winning at Allianz Parque, triumphing 2-1 and progressing to the semifinals, eventually becoming champions for the first time in the tournament against Flamengo.
In the 2023 season’s final encounter between the teams, Palmeiras secured a resounding 5-0 victory in the 29th round of the Brasileirão, marking the beginning of their historic surge that culminated in winning the 12th Brasileirão title.
As evident, in recent years, the age-old rivalry between the clubs has intensified, featuring broken taboos and historic matches.
This Sunday, another chapter unfolds in the magnificent history of Choque-Rei, where the winner will be crowned the Super Brazilian Champion.
São Paulo, Champion of the Copa do Brasil 2023
São Paulo had never won the Copa do Brasil, but with each passing season, it seemed like the time was ripe for the Tricolor Paulista to claim the coveted title. In 2023, it happened in the best possible way.
Under the guidance of Dorival Júnior, the journey began in the third phase against Ituano. After a goalless draw at Morumbi, São Paulo secured a 1-0 victory at Novelli Jr. with Wellington Rato scoring, one of the key players in their campaign.
In the round of 16, they faced Sport Recife and, following a 2-0 win at Ilha do Retiro, expected a smooth ride to secure the result at Morumbi. However, the Leão da Ilha came back strong, winning 3-1 and forcing the match into penalties, where São Paulo prevailed and advanced to the quarterfinals.
From that point on, São Paulo’s journey towards the coveted, unprecedented title took on a special significance. In the quarterfinals, they eliminated none other than Palmeiras, winning 1-0 at home and 2-1 at Allianz Parque, dominating the game and delivering an exemplary performance.
In the semifinals, another classic, this time against Corinthians. Despite trailing 2-1 after the first leg at the Néo Química Arena, São Paulo, under Dorival’s guidance, turned the tables in the return leg. They won 2-0 without much trouble, including a stunning long-range goal by Wellington Rato that found the top corner past Cássio.
In the final, São Paulo faced the formidable Flamengo, who fought to avoid losing their sixth title in the 2023 season. The first leg at a packed Maracanã saw São Paulo once again showcase their tactical prowess. With a goal from Calleri, they secured a 1-0 victory in Rio de Janeiro, taking a significant step towards the coveted title.
The much-anticipated day arrived the following week, and São Paulo had to demonstrate their tactical consistency and defensive prowess to withstand the spirited Flamengo. The game started evenly, with both teams having chances. Bruno Henrique’s goal at 44 minutes heated things up, but São Paulo responded, with Cotia’s Nestor scoring a beautiful equalizer from outside the box before halftime.
In the second half, São Paulo controlled the ball better and faced fewer threats until the final whistle blew. After 15 years, Tricolor Paulista reclaimed a National Championship, this time the unprecedented title of Copa do Brasil Champion.
With this victory, São Paulo qualified for the Supercopa do Brasil and re-established itself as one of the protagonists in Brazilian football.
Palmeiras, Champion of Brasileirão 2023
Since Abel Ferreira’s arrival in 2020, Palmeiras has consistently proven to be the most competitive, cohesive, and mentally effective team in Brazil season after season. The 2023 season was no exception. After winning the 2023 Supercopa against Flamengo and the Paulistão against Água Santa, Palestra Itália focused its efforts on the Copa Libertadores while also accumulating points in the Brasileirão, despite watching Botafogo secure an impressive lead and make history with the best first-half campaign in the competition.
Things were going well for Palmeiras in the Brasileirão as they were gathering points while their primary focus remained on conquering the Copa Libertadores. However, a fateful semifinal against Boca Juniors, which they lost in a penalty shootout, changed the dynamics.
After the elimination, even the most optimistic Palmeiras fan knew that defending the Brasileirão title would be challenging. The team, despite showing superiority over Boca Juniors, suffered setbacks in domestic competitions. Between the two matches against the Argentine team, Palmeiras lost to Bragantino and, in the following two rounds, suffered defeats against Santos and Atlético Mineiro, leaving them in 5th place, 14 points behind Botafogo after the 27th round.
The turning point came in the 28th round against Coritiba, a team fighting against relegation. Palmeiras secured a crucial 2-0 victory, sparking a heroic comeback. From that moment, Palmeiras stacked up wins and delivered historic performances, such as the 5-0 victory against São Paulo in the 29th round and the epic comeback against league leaders Botafogo at Engenhão. Trailing 3-0 at halftime, Palmeiras turned the game around to win 4-3, further destabilizing Botafogo and boosting morale for Palmeiras to move forward.
In the end, Palmeiras secured their second consecutive Brasileirão title after a 0-0 draw against Cruzeiro, finishing with 70 points.
This accomplishment earned the Alviverde a spot in the Supercopa do Brasil as they successfully defended their Brasileirão title, completing the remarkable feat of winning the treble in the 2023 season.
Expectations for the Supercopa do Brasil 2024
As we know, Palmeiras and São Paulo were key players in Brazilian football in 2023, and everything indicates that 2024 will be no different.
São Paulo started the year with a significant setback as their coach, Dorival Junior—the main reason for the consistent performance of the Tricolor in 2023—left the club after accepting the invitation to lead the Brazilian national team.
However, the Morumbi club managed to retain almost its entire squad, with Lucas Moura being a standout player who extended his contract with the Tricolor. Additionally, promising talent Damián Bobadilla, experienced Luiz Gustavo (who has already scored 2 goals in 3 matches), and wingers Erick and Ferrerinha joined the team.
Replacing Dorival is the capable young coach Thiago Carpini, who seems to be swiftly implementing his work philosophy within Soberano. The team has shown promising form in the Paulistão, securing 3 wins and 1 draw. Notably, one of these victories included breaking the taboo against Corinthians at the Néo Química Arena, a venue where São Paulo hadn’t won in over 10 years since its establishment.
In other words, São Paulo, under Carpini’s guidance, is riding high and ready to become Supercopa do Brasil champions for the first time.
On the green side of the story, Palmeiras has maintained its starting lineup and strengthened the squad with the arrivals of Bruno Rodrigues (who unfortunately suffered an injury), Aníbal Moreno (a crucial addition since the previous season), and Caio Paulista (one of São Paulo’s standouts in 2023, including scoring the goal that sealed São Paulo’s victory at Allianz Parque in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals).
The start of the season has been overwhelming, with 3 wins and a draw in the Paulistão, including a convincing victory against Santos in the “Clássico da Saudade” (Classic of Nostalgia).
However, Palmeiras will be without one of its key players, the young talent Endrick, who is participating in the Pre-Olympic tournament with the Brazilian national team.
The Supercopa do Brasil promises to be an unforgettable match, and it will certainly be a highly anticipated showdown.
Written by João Felipe Miller.
