Corinthians striker on Neo Química Arena pitch, power of home fans | OneFootball

Corinthians’ qualification for the Brasileirão Feminino final came along with an assessment of the condition of the Neo Química Arena pitch. After the 1-0 win over Bahia last Monday, Belén Aquino spoke about the players’ adaptation process to the stadium’s new surface and evaluated how it could influence the Brabas’ style of play.

The clash against the team from Bahia marked the women’s team’s debut at the stadium since the replacement of the Itaquera pitch. The change was made during the break in the schedule caused by the men’s World Cup, but the field’s recovery did not happen exactly within the planned timeline.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazznel / Ag. Corinthians

“Personally, I felt the pitch was a little hard at first, but we know the Neo Química Arena field has always been fast. We knew we needed to play balls into space to take advantage of the speed of our wingers and teammates. I think it’s better than people were saying. It could be a little better, since there are still some worn areas, but I believe it will improve over time. We hope it’s already better by Saturday,” the forward said in the mixed zone.

The state of the pitch was also publicly acknowledged by Marcelo Paz. In a press conference last week, Corinthians’ men’s football executive admitted that the club had to play two matches in conditions considered unsuitable after the surface was replaced.

Even with the issues that still need to be fixed, Belén Aquino stressed that playing at Neo Química Arena represents a different experience for the squad. The forward also highlighted the need to maintain the level of performance regardless of the stadium or the circumstances the team faces.

“Playing at Neo Química Arena is always special. We know that wherever we play, the fans will show up. But we also know that, anywhere, we need to respond on the pitch, do our job, and go for the win. Our weekly preparation routine is very similar, although each week brings its own challenges. We demand a lot from ourselves day to day to train well, arrive at a high level, and represent our fans on the pitch,” she said.

The presence of the Fiel also played an important role in the semifinal result. The support from the stands helped Corinthians get through the moments of greatest pressure against Bahia and contributed to the team holding onto the advantage until the final whistle. The match also recorded the highest attendance in women’s football in Brazil in 2026.

“We knew they would be here supporting us, and we knew exactly the kind of game we needed to play to win. We had some difficulties, but we managed to overcome them, largely because of the encouragement coming from the stands. That support motivated us to fight for every ball until the end, and that was crucial,” she concluded.

After winning both semifinal matches, Corinthians secured a place in the Brasileirão Feminino final. Their opponent will be São Paulo, who got past Flamengo in the other semifinal. The first leg of the final will take place this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Neo Química Arena. The second and decisive match is scheduled for 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.