Palmeiras-Corinthians derby showcases return of football in São Paulo

After the final rounds of the Rio de Janeiro state football championship came to an end this week, the state’s 134,000 confirmed cases and 11,849 deaths, competitive play in São Paulo will return next week, kicking off with the derby match between massive local sides Corinthians and Palmeiras.

With São Paulo state having recorded 402,000 infections and 19,000 deaths, the return of the state football championship will occur behind closed doors, with no supporters allowed to enter the stadiums. However, there is some doubt over whether the teams are ready to return, as Corinthians is the first division club with the most confirmed cases of Covid-19 so far, after almost 70 percent of its squad was infected. 

The pandemic has also affected Palmeiras, with at least three of its starting players testing positive for coronavirus. Midfielder Alanzinho recently lost his father to Covid-19.

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