Belén Aquino on Corinthians pressure, mindset before Brasileirão final | OneFootball

A place in the Brasileiro Feminino final has not lowered the level of demands within Corinthians. After the 1-0 win over Bahia last Monday (21) at Neo Química Arena, Belén Aquino revealed that the external pressure the team has faced throughout the season also exists internally. The Uruguayan forward highlighted the squad’s competitiveness, acknowledged the need to improve finishing efficiency, and emphasized the mindset built by the Brabas ahead of the final against São Paulo.

Timão won both semifinal matches against Bahia by the minimum score and advanced 2-0 on aggregate. The qualification took the club to its tenth consecutive Brasileiro Feminino final, but it came after a season in which the team’s performances were criticized at different moments.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel / Corinthians

For Belén, pressure is part of everyday life for anyone representing Corinthians. Number 25 said the squad does not avoid conversations after below-par performances and pointed to that attitude as one of the factors behind the improvement shown during the knockout stage.

“Criticism is part of football and, at Corinthians, even more so. That’s no surprise to anyone here. The criticism and the pressure are the same ones we have internally. In every game where we didn’t do well, we looked each other in the eye, talked among ourselves and, as I said, pushed each other to bring out our best. And I think we found that in this knockout stage, both in the previous round and now in the semifinal.”

Pressure is part of the Brabas’ routine

The behavior described by the Uruguayan is not limited to matchdays. According to Belén, competitiveness is also present in training, with the players themselves raising the level of demand on one another.

The forward believes the squad knows the potential it has and understands that the team’s collective performance will be decisive in turning that level of pressure into results in the decisive stretch of the season.

“We know this is going to happen, and we are a very competitive group, and the pressure is there every day. There is no training session, no moment when we don’t push ourselves. We know the group we have and the level we can reach. That is what we seek every day. We know that if we do our part, if we do our collective work, we have the chance to win all the time.”

The next challenge will be a final. Corinthians and São Paulo begin the battle for the Brazilian title this Saturday (26) at 4:30 p.m. at Neo Química Arena. The second leg will take place on October 3 at Morumbis.

Despite confidence in the squad’s potential, Belén called for respect for the opponent and stressed that qualification will be decided over two highly demanding matches.

“Obviously, we always respect the teams. We know the finals won’t be easy, but, as I said, we are preparing well, we are also improving well, and we’ve arrived in good form. So now it’s about working and putting everything out on the field. We know there are two matches, but there is no later. It will be a life-or-death game. So we will fight, battle, give our best and compete.”

Offensive efficiency becomes a key point for the final

Although Corinthians managed to beat Bahia in both matches, the team scored only one goal in each meeting. In the match held at Neo Química Arena, the Brabas created chances to extend their lead but were unable to turn them into goals.

Belén acknowledged that offensive efficiency needs to improve and revealed that finishing is constantly demanded during the team’s work. For the forward, the short amount of time to make a decision during a play also affects execution.

“That is worked on during the week. When we do these finishing drills, there is a lot of pressure when we miss. We tell each other: put the ball in the net, score. Obviously, in decision-making, in there, we score. Sometimes it isn’t easy. In one second, you think about a lot of things. You think about finishing, you think about doing this or that. But we were talking about it in the locker room, that we need to be more efficient, finish better in order to score.”

The Uruguayan also separated the defensive performance from the attacking output shown in the semifinal. Corinthians did not concede in the 180 minutes against Bahia, but Belén believes there was room to build a bigger advantage in the tie.

“We know games are won by scoring goals. We did well defensively today, but we knew we could have won by one or two more goals. We will keep pushing ourselves on that, keep working as well, and improve so that what happened today doesn’t happen as much, above all.”

Belén points to restlessness as part of Corinthians’ history

Corinthians’ constant presence in the biggest women’s football decisions was also addressed by the forward. For Belén, the path built by the players who have been through the club is directly related to the ability to maintain a high level of demand even after achievements.

“We maintain daily work. What the girls achieved, what the girls won, the history they have built up to now, was based on work and on not settling. That is important too.”

Number 25 also linked this characteristic to the current state of the sport. In the Uruguayan’s assessment, the growth in the competitive level of Brazilian football increases the difficulties, but does not change the objectives internally established by the Brabas.

“We know winning is not easy. In this year that began, we must not settle. We have our objective clear, but, as I said, nothing is easy, everything is competitive. The Brazilian level has grown, but that will not take away from us the mentality of continuing to win things, of continuing to write chapters in Corinthians’ history. And now we have one more chapter to write and finish in a good way.”

The next chapter mentioned by Belén begins this Saturday. Corinthians host São Paulo at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Neo Química Arena for the first leg of the Brasileiro Feminino final. The title will be decided one week later, on October 3, also at 4:30 p.m., at Morumbis.

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