Corinthians defender on Libertadores setback and lessons to learn | OneFootball

Corinthians took the field on Wednesday night (27) at Neo Química Arena to face Platense of Argentina in a match valid for the sixth and final round of the group stage of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores, and ended up being beaten 2-0. Even with the setback, Timão finished this stage of the tournament at the top of Group E with 11 points — three wins, two draws, and one loss — with eight goals scored and four conceded.

After the final whistle, center-back Gustavo Henrique spoke to the match’s broadcast rights holders and admitted that the club from Parque São Jorge did not put in a good performance. The No. 13 said the team’s lack of focus on the pitch helped the Argentinians, who grew more confident in going after a positive result in Itaquera.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

“We really didn’t play a good game. We have to take responsibility, we know it was a very difficult match, it was a game that meant qualification for them, and we came in a little unfocused. It wasn’t easy at all, that gave their team confidence, but today is a day to forget, and on Saturday we have another final to think about,” he began.

Next, the defender was asked about the lessons to be learned from the defeat, stressing that in a competition like the Conmebol Libertadores, there are no easy games: “We know the Libertadores is a very complicated competition. Very difficult, where you can’t switch off at any moment, and we did, and then it becomes harder to chase the game. Their team closed up very well, defended very well, and we couldn’t create the plays to finish the job. I think the lesson for me is to try to be switched on from the first minute, because there are no easy games in the Libertadores, and that serves as a lesson for the rest of the tournament,” he concluded.

Signed at the start of 2024, Gustavo Henrique has since become one of the main pillars of the Corinthians squad. In total, he has 10 goals and four assists in 104 matches wearing the Corinthians shirt (100 as a starter), with 49 wins, 22 draws, and 33 losses — a 54.17% success rate. In addition, he has won three titles: the Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025), and Supercopa do Brasil (2026), against Palmeiras, Vasco da Gama, and Flamengo, respectively.

Corinthians now turn their focus to their last match before the break for the 2026 World Cup. Next Saturday (30), Alvinegro will visit Grêmio at Arena do Grêmio at 5:30 p.m. (Brasília time) in a match valid for the 18th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. Timão currently sit in 15th place with 21 points, with five wins, six draws, and six losses — 15 goals scored and 18 conceded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.