Breno Bidon hails qualifying goal, Memphis and offers to leave Corinthians | OneFootball

Corinthians secured a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores on Thursday night (20). At Neo Química Arena, Timão beat Argentina’s Rosario Central 1-0 in the second leg of the round of 16. Scorer of the match’s only goal, Breno Bidon sealed qualification for the black-and-white side, who will face another Argentine team, Estudiantes, in the next round.

After the match, Breno Bidon stopped in the mixed zone at Neo Química Arena and spoke to reporters. In addition to talking about the emotion of scoring the goal that secured the spot, the midfielder commented on Memphis Depay’s contract extension, speculation about his future, the club’s off-field problems, and Raniele’s red card.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

One of the topics addressed was Memphis Depay’s renewal. The Dutchman was directly involved in the goal that secured qualification, taking the free kick that ended with Bidon’s touch into the back of the net. The youngster praised the No. 10’s stay and highlighted his importance to the squad.

“Memphis (Depay) is a very important guy who helps the group a lot. We know how much he wanted to stay, and we know how important he is at Corinthians. So we were also happy about this renewal, and he’s a guy who can only add to the group.”

Amid the current transfer window, Breno Bidon was also asked about speculation involving a possible departure from Corinthians. The midfielder avoided going into detail about the market and said he is focused on the rest of the season with the club.

“I’m not even thinking about that. Of course we don’t go looking for it, but sometimes things do come up for us. But I’m very focused here. The only thing I can guarantee is that we’re in the quarterfinals. I’m just grateful for that. That part isn’t up to me — it’s up to the president, Marcelo (Paz), and my agents. I’m only focused on helping Corinthians.”

Bidon’s performance also stood out in the numbers. According to Sofascore data, the midfielder finished the match with Corinthians’ second-highest rating, 7.5. In addition to the goal that secured qualification for the black-and-white side, he completed 14 of his 15 passes for a 93% success rate, completed the only dribble he attempted, and also contributed defensively. In total, he recorded two clearances, two tackles, and five defensive actions during the match.

On the pitch, Bidon was responsible for the decisive moment of the night. The midfielder got a touch on Memphis’s free kick and scored the goal that sent Corinthians into the Libertadores quarterfinals. After the game, the player admitted he never imagined living that moment and shared the credit with the rest of the squad.

“I don’t even know what to say. I never imagined this could be happening, but we were very prepared. We managed to score the goal that got us through. I’m very happy about the goal, but even happier that we earned qualification for the next round, because of the group we have. We’re very united.”

Bidon returned to the play later in the interview. The player highlighted the importance of the goal for the club and explained that much of what the team does is worked on in training beforehand.

“I think it is important for Corinthians, yes, because of course most of the things we do are trained. It was different. I was somewhat prepared for it. Not just for me, but for the whole group there. And it turned out that I was in the right place at the right time and managed to score the goal.”

Qualification comes amid a period of administrative and financial problems at Corinthians. Asked whether the situation off the pitch affects the squad, Breno said the players try to shield themselves from external issues and stay focused on the work being done on the field.

“I’m not going to say we feel it, because we always have to work in peace. Of course we know the situation at the club, but on the field we can’t pay attention to that. We have to protect ourselves, come together even more, so that we can step onto the field and do what we work on.”

Corinthians had to play part of the match a man down after Raniele was shown a red card. During a cooling break, Fernando Diniz took the opportunity to instruct the players and reorganize the team. Bidon explained that the instructions helped Timão tighten up defensively before finding the chance that decided the match.

“It was a talk right there during the game. Diniz tries to pass on what’s happening, and this time was no different. We managed to reorganize the team, we managed to close up, we managed to defend well. We needed one ball there to score the goal and go through.”

When specifically asked how he dealt with his teammate’s sending-off, the midfielder stressed the need to stay calm and reinforced the team’s unity in the face of adversity.

“I always have to stay very calm. We work a lot, so we know what we have to do when we step onto the field. And it’s very much about that, like I said, so we always have to help each other, and it’s something that happens. And we ran, we came together, we managed to neutralize them, and we managed to score the goal.”

Duel with Di María

Bidon also commented on his individual battles with Ángel Di María. Despite acknowledging the Argentine’s career, the player made it clear that respect for his opponent does not change his attitude while defending Corinthians.

“I said there that Di María is a guy you have to respect. But I’m wearing the Corinthians shirt and I have our side to defend. So he’s a guy I respect a lot, but I’m going in strong.”

Now through, Corinthians will face Estudiantes in the Libertadores quarterfinals. The black-and-white side remains in pursuit of the second title in its history in South America’s top club competition.

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