São Paulo wrapped up their preparations for Saturday night's meeting with Internacional with a final session focused on tactical adjustments at their training ground on Friday afternoon. The squad will face the side from Rio Grande do Sul at MorumBIS at 9 p.m. local time, with the match counting toward round 28 of the Brazilian Championship.
The session opened with a warm-up led by the fitness coaches before the players moved into an activation drill that split them into three teams for small-sided matchups. From there, head coach Dorival Júnior and his assistants took charge of a tactical activity designed specifically for this weekend's opponent. The group also worked on set pieces in both boxes and finished with a small-sided game.
Dorival Júnior has been in charge since April, taking over a side that had struggled for consistency in the early months of the campaign. His arrival brought a steadier hand to a club that has spent much of the season trying to balance domestic duties with a deep run in continental competition. São Paulo's form under the former Flamengo and Santos manager has been marked by a more structured defensive shape and a willingness to press higher up the pitch, though results have fluctuated as the squad has dealt with injuries and the demands of a congested fixture list.
Saturday's match carries weight at both ends of the table. Internacional have been in strong form in recent weeks, pushing themselves into contention for a spot in the upper reaches of the standings. São Paulo, meanwhile, find themselves in the middle of a tightly packed group of teams separated by only a handful of points, where a win can shift a club several places in either direction. Matches between these two sides have historically been tight, and with both teams needing points for different reasons, the tactical preparation in the final session could prove decisive.
One notable addition to the squad this week has been right-back Pedro Lima. Recently signed and officially registered in the CBF's BID, the defender trained with his new teammates again on Friday and is available to make his debut for Tricolor. His arrival gives Dorival Júnior another option on the right side of defence, an area where the club has looked for reinforcement during the transfer window. Whether he features against Internacional remains to be seen, but his presence in the squad adds depth as the season enters its decisive phase.
Set-piece work has been a recurring theme in São Paulo's training under Dorival Júnior, and Friday's session included attention to both defensive and offensive situations. The emphasis on dead-ball scenarios reflects the tight margins that often decide matches in the Brazilian top flight, where a single corner or free kick can be the difference between three points and one. With Internacional possessing aerial threats in their squad, the defensive organisation on set pieces will be tested.
The match at MorumBIS marks the final fixture before the international break, giving both managers a chance to assess their squads before the season's run-in. For São Paulo, a positive result would provide momentum heading into the pause, while a defeat would leave the club looking over its shoulder at the teams below. Internacional arrive with their own ambitions, and the tactical battle between Dorival Júnior and his counterpart will be central to the outcome.
Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, with the match scheduled to be played in front of the home crowd at MorumBIS. Pedro Lima trained with his new teammates once more on Friday and is available for selection.
According to Yahoo Sports.