São Paulo director denies "failure", commits to stay until 2026 | OneFootball

São Paulo’s football executive, Rui Costa, does not believe that the club’s season was a sporting failure. The executive gave a brief assessment of the Tricolor’s year and said he understands the fans’ frustration during a press conference held this Wednesday at SuperCT.

São Paulo was eliminated in the semifinals of the Paulistão and later said goodbye to the Copa do Brasil in the round of 16. In the Libertadores, they fell in the quarterfinals after losing to LDU-EQU. In the Brasileirão, the team still dreams of a direct spot in the Libertadores, but is six points behind the G7.

“Sporting failure? No, I don’t agree. It was a bad year, we didn’t achieve our goals as we did in recent years. And that’s what matters to the fans. We didn’t have a year we’d want to repeat. We understand that the fans are frustrated, especially since I work daily with São Paulo fans, just like I became one myself. We know the emotional impact it causes, but we have to understand how to handle it and how to improve this process. In my opinion, it was a bad year because of unmet goals. But we have never faced failure here, and I hope we never do,” assessed Rui Costa.

When asked if he could give a grade for São Paulo’s season, the football executive avoided mentioning a specific number. Despite this, he highlighted the commitment of the board throughout the year, and especially the squad, which has had to stretch itself due to the wave of injuries that plagued the club.

“A grade is something very specific, very limited, for what football management is. I don’t have the authority to give any grade. They [the board] have the authority to grade my work. What I can say is that we never stopped giving our all, especially the athletes. Then, there’s the randomness of football. Half of it is that, and half is football,” he commented.

“I’m convinced that we were very dedicated and committed to that 50%. Now, the other 50% are serious injuries, which were not caused by professional incompetence. We know the fans wanted to compete for everything. I can’t give a grade. If the grade wasn’t good, it wasn’t for lack of work, or lack of daily routine. I arrive early and leave late, and they’re already here. And then they stay even longer. We know the fans are dissatisfied, need to smile again, but I’m sure this group of players dignifies São Paulo,” he continued.

Will Rui Costa stay for 2026?

Rui Costa was also asked about his stay at the club for next season. The director admitted he received an offer from Grêmio, but assured he will remain at the club for 2026.

“That contact happened, and it’s known by Belmonte [football director] and the president [Casares], including the details of that conversation. I have a historic relationship with Grêmio, but I’ve been here for five years. In terms of the directors, the welcome goes far beyond my contract. Today, São Paulo is the club where I’ve stayed the longest, with the most longevity. I hope this longevity allows me to be here for a Libertadores or Copa do Brasil title again. I intend to fulfill my contract and stay here for a long time,” he said.

Rui Costa has a contract with São Paulo until the end of 2026, when the last year of president Julio Casares’ term at the Tricolor club ends.

(Photo: Thais Bueno/Gazeta Press)

Transparency measures

Rui Costa’s press conference is part of a series of measures that São Paulo has decided to adopt to bring more transparency at the end of president Julio Casares’ term. The club has started opening training sessions to the press at the Barra Funda training center and issuing periodic reports on topics related to management and health.

The top São Paulo management has also decided to disclose player transfer values and will have a more transparent and, above all, frequent accounting process.

Upcoming São Paulo matches

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