Chinese FA Super Cup
At the start of the 2012 season, Muriqui helped Guangzhou win the 2012 Chinese FA Super Cup by beating Tianjin Teda 2–1 on 25 February. He scored his first AFC Champions League goal in a 2012 AFC Champions League group stage match, the club's first AFC Champions League match, as Guangzhou defeated K-League champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 5–1 away on 7 March. He scored twice in another Champions League match which Guangzhou beat J.League Division 1 champions Kashiwa Reysol 3–1 at home on 17 April. His three goals in the group stage ensured Guangzhou Evergrande to reach the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League. Muriqui scored his first hat-trick in the Super League, in a 5–1 home victory against Jiangsu Sainty on 17 June. On 3 July, Muriqui signed a new contract with Guangzhou Evergrande, keeping him at the club until 30 June 2016. On 19 September, Muriqui was injured after being tackled heavily by Osama Al-Muwallad during a Champions League match against Al-Ittihad at Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium. The injury prevented Muriqui from playing for Guangzhou Evergrande for the rest of Super League and Champions League match and they won the league narrowly but was knocked out of their first Champions League journey by Al-Ittihad in the quarter-finals. Muriqui made his return from injury in the second leg of 2012 Chinese FA Cup final as Guangzhou won their first FA Cup title by defeating Guizhou Renhe 5–3 on aggregate.