Diniz backs Corinthians youth, explains changes, eyes Libertadores tie | OneFootball

Corinthians’ 2-1 loss to Flamengo on Sunday afternoon (13) at the Maracanã left Fernando Diniz with mixed feelings about the team’s performance. Despite a fifth straight defeat in the Brazilian Championship, the coach highlighted Timão’s attitude, praised the youngsters used in the match, and turned his focus to the decisive Libertadores clash against Estudiantes.

With a heavily changed lineup because of the continental commitment, Corinthians started the match with players who had been getting fewer opportunities. Among the new faces was 17-year-old Iago Machado, who made his professional debut at the Maracanã.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Agência Corinthians

After the match, Diniz explained that using the youngsters was not only due to the need to rest some of the starters. According to the coach, the players earned their place through their performances in training. He also praised Iago and Gui Negão individually.

“Of course. They only played because they give me confidence to put them in. Developing academy players, this academy-first team connection, has to be handled carefully. It’s something I’ve liked doing throughout my career. And today I felt completely confident. We had two very good training sessions. And not only the academy players — the other players who were on the pitch also did well in the first half. And I think it’s especially worth highlighting Iago’s debut, a 17-year-old kid. He’s the one I had, and still have, the highest expectations for because he is very talented, and also the one I’m most careful with because of his age and the position he plays. Bringing through a forward is always a bit easier, but there it’s always a bit harder.

And he kept showing me confidence in training. I followed him with the Under-20s and he has a brilliant future ahead of him. The other players did very well too. I think Guilherme scored again, besides contributing a lot defensively, and he troubled Flamengo’s defense on many occasions. So I was very happy with the performance of the academy players and also the other players who played, who showed great dedication.”

Gui Negão was in fact responsible for Corinthians’ only goal at the Maracanã. The forward made the most of his chance in the starting lineup and scored in the second half. Iago, meanwhile, stayed on for the full match and earned praise from the coach in his first experience with the senior team.

Diniz sees this defeat as different from the previous ones

Besides the youngsters, Fernando Diniz also commented on Charles’ performance. The midfielder started a match again after a long spell and stayed on the field until the second half. For the coach, the player’s display was also the result of the progress he has shown during training at CT Joaquim Grava.

The analysis extended to Corinthians’ current moment in the Brasileirão. With the result in Rio de Janeiro, Timão reached five straight defeats in the competition. Diniz, however, distinguished the performance against Flamengo from the previous four setbacks and pointed to a change mainly in the team’s attitude.

“Charles is in the same context I mentioned with the youngsters. He was someone who had gone a long time without playing a match, without starting a match, and he got a difficult game. He’s another one who works very hard and has been improving a lot in training. And when I have to put him in, I do it with confidence. As for it always being very uncomfortable when we talk about five straight defeats, what changes things a little, right? In the four games we lost, we weren’t technically poor. I’ve already said that on other occasions. We lost because mentally we fell short. It was more a matter of behavior, especially defensively. Today was a different defeat from the other four. Today, with our spirit, with our behavior, with our commitment… I always like to make this comparison. It was something similar to the Corinthians fans: a lot of commitment, a lot of fight, believing until the end.

And then, when we brought on fresher players, players who are used to playing, we started to play in a more balanced way against Flamengo and even to control some parts of the game. We got the equalizer and either side could have scored the second goal, both Corinthians and Flamengo. But the run was uncomfortable, yes, but it has… What happened there at the beach and what happened today is the path we have to follow, because that way, in the Brasileirão, we can do it. Playing with the same willingness, with the same desire we showed today, the outlook is very optimistic for us in the Brazilian Championship as well.”

With the defeat, Corinthians remained on 32 points and sit 13th in the Brasileirão. The team has eight wins, eight draws, and 11 losses after 27 matches.

Focus now shifts to the decisive match against Estudiantes

Despite the uncomfortable situation in the national tournament, the schedule does not give Corinthians much time to dwell on the result. The team’s main commitment of the week comes this Wednesday (16) at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, when they host Argentina’s Estudiantes at Neo Química Arena in the second leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals.

Diniz explained that the choice to rest part of the starting lineup against Flamengo was intended to allow the players to arrive in better physical condition for the decisive clash. Some players did not even travel to Rio de Janeiro because of fatigue and pain.

The coach also welcomed the possibility of having Memphis Depay available and highlighted the difficulty he expects to face against the Argentinians.

“It’s very good to be able to count on Memphis, to answer the final part. And actually, I don’t like players having to build up rhythm, right? On the contrary, I left them out so they could be well prepared and with 100% energy for Wednesday. We brought six of the starters, and four or five stayed in São Paulo because they were very worn out and had some significant pain, which required special care. So, looking ahead to Wednesday’s game, it’s always a difficult match. Estudiantes drew with Flamengo there and here. They drew at home and beat Católica away. So we have to… Rosario was a difficult game there and at the Arena as well. So we have to prepare for a great battle. It’s a quality team, a team that is tactically well organized on the pitch. And we will try to do our best, together with the strength of our fans.”

Corinthians and Estudiantes go into the second match level. In the first leg, played in La Plata, the teams drew 1-1. So whoever wins at Neo Química Arena advances directly to the semifinals. In the event of another draw, qualification will be decided on penalties.

After balancing the squad between the need to respond in the Brazilian Championship and the continental priority, Fernando Diniz now has only a few days to prepare Corinthians for one of the most important matches of the season.

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