Crespo sends message to board, wants São Paulo signing fit players | OneFootball

Coach Hernán Crespo seems certain about the type of players São Paulo should target for next season. More than just profile, characteristics, or skill, the Argentine manager wants the board to bring in healthy players to strengthen the squad.

São Paulo has suffered greatly from injuries this season. For the derby against Corinthians, for example, Crespo could not count on 12 players: Lucas (pain in the right knee), Calleri (transition after surgery on the left knee), Oscar (vasovagal syncope), André Silva (ligament injuries in the right knee), Luan (injury to the right adductor muscle), Ryan Francisco (ligament injury in the left knee), Dinenno (arthroscopy on the right knee), Wendell (partial rupture of the plantar fascia in the left foot), Marcos Antônio (injury to the posterior region of the left thigh), Enzo Díaz (herniorrhaphy to correct an inguinal hernia on the left side), Arboleda (injury to the posterior region of the left thigh), and Rodriguinho (respiratory condition).

“We’re missing a number 10, a striker, we’re missing a lot. Things happened during the season that we couldn’t take advantage of. We knew Lucas wasn’t well, he gave everything to come back, but it didn’t happen. Regarding Oscar, we all knew about his problem, he tried, but it wasn’t possible. There’s no need to look for someone to blame. What we have to do is start looking at the market, and the main thing is health, then we’ll look at talent,” admitted Crespo.

For the upcoming match this Sunday, against Juventude, the number of absences will be even greater, since Alisson received his third yellow card this Thursday, against Corinthians, and will have to serve a suspension, in addition to Rafael Toloi, who felt muscle pain and had to be substituted during the derby.

“At this moment we have to think about this and see in the market what possibilities we have economically to buy, or through loans, players who are healthy, who can play 65 games next year. There’s not much left. In two or three weeks we’ll start to speak more freely, because right now it’s not easy,” added the tricolor coach.

Despite the terrible scenario, Crespo remains confident about qualifying for the Pre-Libertadores. There is nothing to suggest that São Paulo will achieve its goal, but the Argentine coach has been working hard to motivate what’s left of his squad.

“I’m used to it. That’s the situation, we have more players out than available to train. We had 13 players not counting the goalkeepers, waiting for the players called up to their national teams. For the next game Toloi is out, Alisson will be out, think positive things. Think that we can improve, do well. I think this São Paulo is focused, with 12 or 13 players we can beat Juventude. There are four rounds left and then we’ll see what we can do,” he concluded.

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