Globo Esporte Futebol reports that Vitor Roque has been a starter in the last six games, but was substituted in all of them. This comes after the forward's recovery from a surgery on his left ankle in early May. Since then, he has played 11 games but failed to complete 90 minutes in any of them. Coach Abel Ferreira expressed his concerns about Vitor Roque's physical condition, stating that the player needs to be in good form to perform at his best. The Palmeiras coach also believes that Vitor Roque's physical limitations have affected the team's style of play.
The Palmeiras coach also criticized the referee João Vitor Gobi, stating that he knows the referee and believes that he is not one of the best. Abel Ferreira wants the best referees for the team's games and believes that the current criteria for selecting referees is "incredible". The Palmeiras coach will be looking to get the best out of his players, including Vitor Roque, when they face Santos in the Copa do Brasil quarter-final return leg on Wednesday.