Corinthians right-back on poor run, backs Fernando Diniz | OneFootball

Corinthians visit Estudiantes on Wednesday night (9) at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata, for the first leg of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores quarterfinals. The return leg will take place exactly one week from now, at the same time, at Neo Química Arena.

One day before the match and shortly before the final training session on the eve of the decisive game, right-back Matheuzinho spoke at a press conference and assessed the team’s poor run of form, having suffered four straight defeats in the Brazilian Championship this season. He was also asked about off-field issues, such as delayed payments, and stressed his confidence in coach Fernando Diniz’s work, mentioning the dream of winning a second Libertadores title.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Check out Matheuzinho’s answers from the press conference below:

The squad’s confidence in Fernando Diniz’s work despite the instability

“Our day-to-day with Diniz hasn’t changed at all. We know he’s doing a very good job for us. A lot of players have improved individually since he arrived. Every job needs time, and I think his work started in a very good way; we’ve improved a lot. There’s always some instability, that’s normal, and we’re working to get back on track.”

“We trust him 100%. We know he’s very capable and has already shown at other clubs what he can do for a team. We’re all behind him, and all the players believe in his style of play. We know he wants what’s best for Corinthians, and we want what’s best for him too. There’s no doubt at all between the players and the coach, and you can be sure we’re working together to get through this phase.”

Questions about the Corinthians squad because of the losing streak in the Brazilian Championship and self-criticism over a lack of ‘sense of urgency’

“I believe criticism is welcome, constructive criticism, as long as there’s respect. At no point do I believe we were the best team in Brazil or the worst team in Brazil. I think we’re going through a difficult spell, where we manage to build during the match, create scoring chances, but end up finishing the game with a defeat. But that won’t affect us at all tomorrow, because it’s a different competition.”

“I’ve said a few times already that it’s a competition where we understand the sense of urgency, that we can’t switch off. So our focus from the start has always been the title, and nothing has changed. We go into tomorrow’s match knowing it’s an Argentine team, like when we faced Rosario, knowing it’ll be difficult, a very physical battle. We’re prepared to get an excellent result so that next week, at home as well, we can play an excellent game and secure qualification.”

Fans’ criticism of the group of players and the idea that the work is ‘on the right path’

“The fans will look at the result. Day to day, we know what we’re building; we just need something to turn it into a positive result. In every game with a negative result, we had more possession and more shots, and we have to find that path to get the win. We’re on a path, and that’s the most important thing, we’re not lost. We’re united among ourselves, it’s a bad moment, and of course we can’t lose at home, with all due respect to Chapecoense and every opponent. We’ll correct these mistakes from now on, starting tomorrow, to help boost our confidence and bring the fans with us.”

Lessons learned from Allan and Raniele’s red cards in the two round-of-16 matches against Rosario Central-ARG

“Diniz did talk to us about it, yes. It’s very bad when we have one less player on the field. Of course, that doesn’t change anything. Personally, we don’t get angry or upset with any player because we know what happens. I think there’s always a good side and a bad side. It shows that on the field we’re giving absolutely everything, we don’t want to lose any challenge. Of course it’s never good for the team to have a sending-off, but it shows that no one is pulling out, everyone wants to win every duel. Obviously there’s a huge responsibility when you end up being sent off, but everyone is aware of that.”

Preview of the clash against Estudiantes-ARG, the team’s defensive solidity in the Libertadores, and the importance of staying focused in a knockout competition

“We know it’s a very physical match where we have to stay alert. I think teams in Argentina learn how to foul the right way in the youth ranks because that’s their way of playing. So we have to be very alert so we don’t make that mistake again, but we know it’s a huge responsibility. He (Diniz) told us not to pull out and to go in hard, but to be careful, because if a team is going to finish with ten men, let it be theirs. So we have that in mind to be careful, but we definitely won’t pull out of any challenge.”

“The most important thing in this kind of competition is not to switch off, like we’ve ended up doing in the Brasileirão in some moments. It’s a game with a very high sense of urgency, because any little mistake we make can be very costly. We know the quality of the Libertadores. All the teams have great quality, so we know any mistake can cost us dearly. We’re prepared for that. Our defense is the joint best with Flamengo, and that’s no coincidence. We work very hard, and we know that when we stay compact back there and everyone is willing to run, every player is willing to run.”

Aiming for a clean sheet against Estudiantes-ARG

“That’s our focus tomorrow: a clean sheet, giving Hugo as much security as possible so he only has to make saves when really necessary, because when we commit to tracking back, staying compact, and marking the way the coach asks, our team does well, as we’ve shown in most Libertadores matches. That’s the way forward. We know what we want from this competition and we need to do what was agreed.”

Delayed payments and off-field problems involving the board

“When we step onto the field, we don’t even think about that. We focus on the game. But unfortunately the results aren’t coming. Like I said, when we go out to warm up and in training, we’re focused on giving our best for Corinthians. But unfortunately the results aren’t coming the way we want.”

“As I said, everyone is aware of the duty that has to be fulfilled. But when we step onto the field, we have to put all worries aside. Our concern is to give our all for Corinthians. To bring positive results, to bring joy to all the fans. As I said, everyone is aware of their duty.”

Respect for Argentine teams

“It’s very difficult to play against an Argentine team, precisely because of the way they play, which is very different from Brazil. Brazilians play in a more creative way, with more dribbling; they’re more about marking. Games against Argentine teams are always very good; I like them because they suit my style of play more. But we have to stay alert because they have very high-quality players who know how to do what Brazilians do too. Dribble, finish well, improvise. We have to respect the opposing team a lot, but knowing that on this side too there is a very capable team that will fight for every ball to get the win.”

Dream of winning the Libertadores with Corinthians — which would be the club’s second in history — and Fernando Diniz’s motto from his Fluminense days (2023) being implemented at Timão

“From the very first day, he’s had this phrase that our ending is November 28, which could be the most important day of our lives, and we’re working every day for that. Of course we have the other competitions, which we can’t neglect, but the Libertadores is a different competition, one that a club this big has only won once, and we know that if we can win this title, we’ll go down in history. And something I tell myself individually, which is also something Diniz tells us, is to be extraordinary.”

“Every day in training, even when we’re tired, with our minds full, or after a loss, we try to be there working, being extraordinary every day. And that’s what I see in this team. We know we’ve fallen short a little at times in the Brazilian Championship, with some unnecessary slip-ups, but we know the Libertadores is very important to us. So I believe that word, ‘extraordinary,’ fits us very well in this competition, because we’re focused, we’re united so that on the 28th, we’ll be there and win the title.”

Throughout its history in the international competition, Corinthians have already reached the quarterfinal stage of the tournament six times, advancing in 2000 and 2012, and being eliminated in 1996, 1999 and 2022. If the club from Parque São Jorge reaches the semifinals, it will mark its best Libertadores campaign since its historic unbeaten title in 2012. Since then, Timão have been knocked out in the round of 16 in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018. In the 2023 season, they were eliminated in the group stage. In turn, in 2020 and 2025, they fell in the preliminary stage. Their best run since then was in 2022, when they were eliminated by Flamengo in the quarterfinals, as already mentioned.

Conmebol Libertadores campaign and prize money earned

In the group stage, Alvinegro advanced as leaders of Group E with 11 points — three wins, two draws and one loss — with eight goals scored and nine conceded. Timão’s group included Platense-ARG, Peñarol-URU and Santa Fé-COL. In the round of 16, meanwhile, they eliminated Rosario Central-ARG. In the first match, in Buenos Aires, it ended goalless. In the return leg, at Neo Química Arena, Corinthians won 1-0.

For their performance in the international competition, Corinthians have already accumulated R$ 25.9 million. Of that total, R$ 16.9 million came from their group-stage campaign, while the rest refers to qualifying for the quarterfinals.

Matheuzinho’s journey at Corinthians

Signed at the start of 2024 after coming through Londrina’s youth ranks and building a successful career at Flamengo, Matheuzinho established himself as a starter for Alvinegro in the middle of his first season at Timão, under Argentine coach Ramón Díaz, relegating Fagner — one of the symbols of a winning team over the last decade — to the bench. His debut came in February of that year, in a 2-2 draw against Palmeiras at Arena Barueri, in the first phase of the Campeonato Paulista.

Wearing the No. 2 shirt, he was important in the team’s surge in the 2024 Brasileirão (from the relegation zone to the Libertadores qualifiers — seventh place with 56 points), and he was also a starter in the title wins in the Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025) and Supercopa do Brasil (2026), against Palmeiras, Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, respectively. Overall, he has 65 wins, 42 draws and 46 losses — a 51.6% points rate — representing Corinthians on the field, with six goals and 12 assists in the period.

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