André celebrates Paulista spot, backs strong Corinthians for quarters | OneFootball

Chosen by Dorival Júnior for Sunday’s match, André was decisive in Corinthians’ 1-0 victory over São Bernardo at Estádio Primeiro de Maio. A product of the youth academy, the midfielder recovered quickly from injury, started the match, and found the back of the net, helping Timão secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista.

“First of all, I want to thank God for the qualification and for everything that’s been happening. Whether we like it or not, the Paulista is an important tournament at the start of the season. Qualifying well to reach the final stages in good shape, to get there and become champions,” said the player in an interview with Cazé TV.

Corinthians finished the first phase in fifth place, with 14 points—three wins, three draws, and two losses in eight rounds. André valued the team’s recent performances and believes the squad is strong heading into the knockout stage. It’s worth remembering that Timão are the current state champions.

“I believe we’ve been playing well, both in the Paulista and the Brasileiro. We lost some important points, but we never stopped finishing, running, and fighting throughout the whole game. I believe we’re coming into the final stages strong to defend our title,” projected André.

Finally, André also commented on his positioning on the pitch. At the coaching staff’s request, the midfielder often gets into the box. That’s how he scored Sunday’s goal: with a first-time shot from the edge of the area.

“The coaching staff always asks me to get into the box, because the ball always falls there, like it did today—it fell to me and I was lucky. I believe I have to keep it up. If they’re asking and it’s working, I just have to keep going and let’s go [laughs],” concluded the son of Terrão.

Standings Situation

With the new format of the Paulistão, Corinthians will face Portuguesa in the quarterfinals, scheduled for next weekend. The date and time of the classic are yet to be determined by the FPF (Federação Paulista de Futebol), but the home advantage will be with Lusa, who finished one spot above Timão in the first phase.

Upcoming Corinthians Matches

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