São Paulo's Rafael sidelined by lower back injury minutes before Santos derby

São Paulo goalkeeper Rafael was ruled out of the Campeonato Brasileiro derby against Santos on October 2 after suffering a lower back injury during warm-up. Coach Dorival Júnior replaced him with Carlos Coronel, marking the Paraguayan's fourth appearance for the club. Both teams made last-minute lineup changes due to injury and illness.

Quick Facts

Goalkeeper Rafael withdrawn from match due to lower back injury during warm-up
Carlos Coronel selected as replacement goalkeeper
João Pedro named to substitutes' bench
Santos midfielder Rollheiser removed due to viral illness
Lima inserted into Santos starting lineup

São Paulo goalkeeper Rafael was withdrawn from the Campeonato Brasileiro match against Santos on Friday, October 2, due to a lower back injury sustained during warm-up at the Morumbis stadium. The injury forced coach Dorival Júnior to make a last-minute substitution, calling on Paraguayan goalkeeper Carlos Coronel as Rafael's replacement. João Pedro, a youth academy player, was named to the substitutes' bench.

The change occurred minutes before kick-off, despite Rafael being listed in the initially announced starting lineup. Coronel's selection marked his fourth appearance for São Paulo since joining the club for the 2026 season. He had previously appeared in two Copa Sudamericana matches and one Brasileirão fixture, with Rafael rested in all prior outings.

São Paulo faced multiple squad absences for the delayed 21st-round fixture beyond Rafael's withdrawal. The club was also without striker Calleri (suspended for accumulated yellow cards), midfielder Djhordney (called up by Brazil's U-20 squad), defenders Domingos Duarte and Aurélio Buta (both recovering from knee surgeries), midfielder Lucas (in physical transition following Achilles tendon surgery), and midfielder Cauly (dealing with flu symptoms).

Santos made its own last-minute adjustment, removing midfielder Rollheiser from the starting lineup due to viral illness and replacing him with midfielder Lima. The derby was disputed as an isolated fixture at the Morumbis, with São Paulo entering the match in 11th place with 36 points and Santos in 8th with 38 points.

Topics

Sports

#Carlos Coronel #Campeonato Brasileiro #spine injury #last-minute substitution #São Paulo #goalkeeper #injury #football #Derby #Santos

Entities

Why This Matters

Last-minute injury substitutions affect squad depth in a competitive league fixture between two mid-table teams seeking points in the delayed 21st round. São Paulo's multiple absences (suspended striker, injured defenders, midfielder recovering from surgery, player with illness) reduce attacking and defensive options. The derby's outcome carries standings implications for both clubs—São Paulo at 11th place (36 points) and Santos at 8th (38 points)—in the Campeonato Brasileiro title race.

Timeline & Sources

Oct 2, 2026

Wire

São Paulo vs Santos match (delayed 21st round fixture) kicks off at Morumbis