On February 23, 2025, the world of Brazilian soccer will be focused on the Campeonato Paulista as teams vie for playoff positions and survival. This particularly exciting round of matches includes several key confrontations, all set to kick off at 18:30 Brasília time (UTC-3).
The spotlight will be on Mirassol, hosting Palmeiras at the José Maria de Campos Maia. For Palmeiras, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With 20 points, they need to secure victory against Mirassol and hope for results to go their way, particularly requiring Ponte Preta to falter against Red Bull Bragantino simultaneously. "O Palmeiras precisa vencer e torcer contra a Ponte Preta para seguir vivo no Paulistão," stated UOL, underlining the pressure on the team led by coach Abel Ferreira.
Mirassol arrives at this match with added pressure of their own, having gone five games without victory. Nonetheless, they qualified as the second spot from Group A, making the game pivotal. The match will be broadcast live on UOL Play, which has become the go-to platform offering coverage of seven of the eight matches each round of the Paulistão.
Meanwhile, São Paulo takes on São Bernardo at Primeiro de Maio Stadium with different aspirations. With a modest 16 points, São Paulo needs to win to maintain their position at the top of Group C. "O São Paulo depende de uma vitória para garantir liderança do Grupo C," reported UOL, emphasizing how their recent form has been turbulent, lacking wins across their last five matches. Under coach Luis Zubeldía, the team must overcome its last match loss to Ponte Preta to avoid losing ground at this pivotal moment.
For São Bernardo, the quest is for the overall top spot. They will also need to rely on other match outcomes, particularly hoping for Corinthians to stumble against Guarani. The action from this match will also be streamed on UOL Play and various other platforms, including TNT and Zapping TV.
On the other hand, Corinthians face Guarani at the Neo Química Arena, where they’re currently leading the tournament with 26 points and only need to draw to secure their top position. Guarani, with their playoff hopes on the line, has to win and pray for favorable outcomes elsewhere to break through to the knockout rounds.
Another encounter of significant importance is between Santos and Inter de Limeira. This match, held at Major José Levy Sobrinho, sees Santos needing just a draw to progress to the next stage, having had positive performances recently. On the contrary, Inter is at the bottom of the pile and must defeat Santos to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive. "Para garantir a permanência, o Velo Clube precisa apenas de um empate," noted UOL, tying this sentiment back to the last match of the Velo Clube.
Lastly, Velo Clube will be facing Água Santa. Velo Clube has pulled together ten points and only requires one more to solidify their place above the relegation line. Their recent form includes three matches unbeaten, which they aim to build on as they confront Água Santa, who are desperate for points and must win plus hope for losses by the teams around them.
Every match will be available for live viewing through UOL Play, the platform offering uninterrupted access to soccer action without ads, making it simple for fans to engage with their favorite teams through the thrilling final round of the group stage of Campeonato Paulista. The significance of these matches cannot be overstated, as lives and legacies rest on these last moments of play before entering the knockout phase.