The 1996 season is the 82nd season in Palmeiras's existence, and their 82nd in Brazil's first division. The club competed in Campeonato Paulista, Copa do Brasil and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Summary During January the club reinforced the squad with central back Sandro Blum from Juventude, offensive Midfielder Djalminha from Guarani FC and left-back Júnior from Esporte Clube Vitoria. The team won the Campeonato Paulista playing the best campaign in the professional history of that competition. Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro, Volume 1 – Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Areté Editorial S/A, 2001, página 217 Managed by Wanderley Luxemburgo and his tactical system known as "Magic Square"(4-2-2-2), the team grabbed 83 points out of 90 possible, and scoring 102 goals in 30 matches.
In Copa do Brasil the squad advanced to semifinals and defeated 1995 Copa Libertadores incumbent champions Gremio. Shockingly, the heavy-favourite club lost the 1996 Copa do Brasil Final against Cruzeiro at Parque Antartica playing without two key players: defensive Midfielder Flavio Conceicao and Forward Müller.
During summer, the club transferred out Rivaldo to Deportivo La Coruña (after the Spanish club paid $7,0 million), Amaral to Parma and Müller to São Paulo following a contract-dispute (loaned from Kashiwa Reysol which owned 50% of the contract that ended on 9 June) losing offensive ground for the upcoming Campeonato Brasileiro and therefore the team is being early eliminated by Gremio in Quarterfinals.
Rivaldo, Cafu, Marcos, Junior, Roque Júnior, and Luizao were called up to have been playing in the Brazil national football team managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari to win the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final.
Squad
Transfers
In Pos. Name From Type MF Djalminha Guarani FC DF Junior Esporte Clube Vitoria DF Claudio Flamengo MF Elivelton Corinthians MF Fernando Diniz Juventus-SP MF Marquinhos Flamengo MF Rogerio São João MF Sérgio Soares Guarani FC
Out Pos. Name To Type FW Alex Alves EC Juventude -
Summer
In Pos. Name From Type MF Freddy Rincon Real Madrid loan MF Leandro Ávila SC Internacional FW Leonardo Corinthians FW Reinaldo Parma FW Vinicius Portuguesa FW Viola Valencia
Out Pos. Name To Type FW Rivaldo Deportivo La Coruña U$10,0 million FW Müller São Paulo FC loan ended MF Amaral Parma MF Flavio Conceicao Deportivo La Coruña MF Marquinhos EC Juventude MF Marco Osio Saronno FW Paulo Isidoro SC Internacional
Competitions Campeonato Paulista
First round
Matches
Second round
Matches
Final standings
Copa do Brasil
Round of 32
Eightfinals
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Campeonato Brasileiro
Matches
Final standings
Eightfinals
1996 Copa Conmebol
Statistics Player statistics
References
External links First Squad Fixtures and results Fixtures and results • UOL.com.br Fixtures • Globo.com