Dorival on Corinthians’ Brasileirão: “A sense of disappointment” | OneFootball

Coach Dorival Júnior admitted feeling disappointed with the Corinthians campaign in the Brazilian Championship. The coach gave an overview of Timão’s fluctuating journey in the current edition of the tournament, which ended with another setback: a 1-1 draw against already relegated Juventude at the Neo Química Arena.

“We were aware that the campaign could have been better. I recognize that; we lacked many things throughout the season. We had several matches like this one, where we created chances, had volume, several opportunities, but didn’t finish the game. Because of that, opponents at one moment or another took important points from us. There’s a feeling of disappointment for what we accomplished during the competition, for what we would have liked to deliver to the fans,” the coach evaluated.

Dorival, however, offered a counterpoint and said he was satisfied with the work done by the coaching staff regarding the development of young academy players. Of the youngsters who have stood out, five were introduced by the coach: goalkeepers Kauê and Felipe Longo, midfielder André, playmaker Dieguinho, and forward Gui Negão.

“On the other hand, I am very happy. First, for having put several academy players on the field, which hadn’t happened for some time at Corinthians. For a club to seek recovery, it depends on having youngsters in its system who can give us a good response. That was work we did throughout this process. I have no fears or doubts about introducing players. I’m sure that with the arrival of these boys, the team has become stronger, created a new foundation. In a short time, good things will happen,” he emphasized.

Corinthians finished their Brasileirão campaign in 13th place, with 47 points, and secured a spot in the Copa Sudamericana. Timão, however, reached their fourth game without a win in the national competition, with two losses and two draws. In Dorival’s view, the squad’s dedication was never lacking.

“We did have the obligation to be in a better position, but it didn’t happen for countless reasons, various situations. But I’m sure we left everything on the field. Rare were the matches in which we didn’t give our all physically, emotionally, tactically, and technically. Dedication was never lacking at any moment. Yes, we did miss out on some important results that would have given us a better position, I agree with that,” he analyzed.

Choices for Reserve Teams

In the last two rounds of the Brasileirão, Corinthians rested most of their starting players with an eye on the Copa do Brasil semifinal. In the match against Fortaleza, players like Vitinho, Dieguinho, and André were given opportunities. Against Juventude, players like Félix Torres, Charles, Romero, and Talles Magno got another chance. Dorival then justified the decision.

“We have to be aware that we have a commitment. My goal, since last week, was to have everyone in the squad ready to be on the field between Sunday and Wednesday. That’s what we did. Everyone had the chance to be in action to reach our best condition for Wednesday. That was my goal and our mindset. Beyond that, we didn’t think about anything else, because we have two very important games coming up,” the coach explained.

Still on the Brasileirão campaign, Dorival once again mentioned the difficulties Corinthians faced, such as the few signings during the two transfer windows—only Vitinho and Angileri arrived—and injuries to key players, like Rodrigo Garro, at decisive moments in the competition.

“The feeling is that we could have had better luck, could have gone a bit further, and that this serves as a lesson. In the last two or three editions, Corinthians were present in the relegation zone. The important thing is that, in this championship, we didn’t even come close to the drop zone. That was a positive point, we can say. The final position isn’t ideal, but compared to what had been happening, it was a bit better,” the coach concluded.

Now, Dorival Júnior’s Corinthians will focus entirely on the two matches against Cruzeiro in the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil. The first leg takes place this Wednesday at Mineirão, while the second and decisive match is scheduled for this Sunday at the Neo Química Arena.

Upcoming Corinthians Matches

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