Estudiantes boss hails Corinthians quality before Libertadores clash | OneFootball

Corinthians begin their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal campaign this Wednesday. Their first match will be against Estudiantes in La Plata, and before the ball starts rolling, coach Cacique Medina spoke about the Argentine team’s preparation and their assessment of the Brazilian opponent.

During a press conference on Monday, the manager was asked about the main aspects he identified in the football played by Timão. Medina highlighted the technical quality of Corinthians’ squad and drew attention to the way the team works possession and looks to move up the field.

Photo: Disclosure/Estudiantes

“I won’t be saying anything new if I say that every Brazilian team is complex, because they have excellent players. They are athletes with a lot of technical quality, good combination play, quick and direct. They have very strong individual players and connect well with each other. It’s a team whose characteristic is to progress with the ball through passing. They exchange a lot of passes and have great players in every line,” the coach said at a press conference held this Monday.

Estudiantes’ manager’s analysis also includes the need to limit Corinthians’ main attacking weapons. For Medina, the performance in the first leg could be determined by how efficient both teams are when they get chances near goal.

The Argentine coach stressed that Estudiantes are working precisely to reduce the spaces Timão can use and, at the same time, find ways to create dangerous situations. In Medina’s view, turning chances into goals will be crucial for the La Plata side to take an advantage in the tie.

“As I said before, every team has its strengths and weaknesses. That’s why we do prior analysis: we try to neutralize their strong points, how they will progress and create scoring chances, and how we will also create opportunities. Hopefully the rhythm and development of the match will go in our favor, so that we can have more scoring chances than the opponent and manage to convert them — which is the most important thing. It’s not enough just to create; you have to be clinical and effective when it comes to scoring. In any case, it’s a difficult opponent, like every Brazilian team. But I have a lot of faith, confidence, and I really believe in our team,” he said.

Another aspect that received special attention in Estudiantes’ preparation was set pieces. The Argentine coaching staff studied Corinthians’ deliveries and know that this kind of play can carry significant weight in a Libertadores knockout tie.

Medina also highlighted the individual ability of some Corinthians players, especially in finishing and aerial play. Memphis Depay and Rodrigo Garro were mentioned by the coach as players capable of posing danger in different set-piece situations.

“We analyzed and reviewed that as well. We also see that the opponent we’re going to face is strong in the air, in Depay’s shot, in Garro’s shot. It’s a complex team, with very strong players, but we also have our own strengths,” he added.

Estudiantes reached the quarterfinals after eliminating Universidad Católica of Chile. Qualification was confirmed two days before Corinthians secured theirs. After a 1-1 draw in the first meeting away from home, the Argentines made home advantage count in the return leg and won 3-0.

Despite progressing in the Libertadores, Estudiantes are not going through their best spell in the domestic league. Medina’s team have gone two rounds without a win in the Argentine Championship, with a goalless draw against Newell’s Old Boys and a 1-0 defeat to Vélez Sarsfield.

Corinthians also had to overcome difficulties to reach the final eight of the continental competition. Their opponent in the previous round was Rosario Central. In the first leg, played at the Gigante de Arroyito, the teams drew 0-0.

In the return match, played at Neo Química Arena, Timão had to play with one man fewer for practically the entire second half. Even so, they found an attacking solution and secured qualification with a move built by Memphis Depay and Breno Bidon.

The negative run in the Brazilian Championship, however, means Corinthians are also looking for an immediate response on the domestic stage. Fernando Diniz’s team have suffered four consecutive defeats in the tournament, the most recent coming against Chapecoense.

Last Sunday, Corinthians were beaten 2-1 by the team from Santa Catarina in Itaquera. Now, the focus is fully on the Libertadores and on trying to build an advantage before the second leg of the quarterfinals.

The clash against Estudiantes takes place this Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata. The match will be the first chapter in the battle for a place in the semifinals of South America’s premier club competition.

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