Ex-Corinthians defender on pre-final talk with Vítor Pereira

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Central do Timão

·26 September 2025

Ex-Corinthians defender on pre-final talk with Vítor Pereira

By Vinícios Cotrim | Central do Timão Editorial Team

In 2022, Corinthians reached the final of the Copa do Brasil and was defeated on penalties after drawing both matches against Flamengo. Before the showdown at Maracanã, defender Gil, along with Renato Augusto and Balbuena, spoke with coach Vítor Pereira about the defensive scheme being used.

“Me, him (Renato Augusto), and Balbuena asked Vitor: ‘Please, don’t change the system, we have a chance to win. Dammit, let’s not change the system.’ He wanted to play with three defenders, right? I said: ‘No, Vitor, leave it! Don’t worry. I’ll mark Pedro, don’t worry.’ Then he put in the three defenders and, five minutes into the game, 1-0 Flamengo. I said: ‘Son of a b****!’ In the second half, we went back to the normal scheme, tied the game, and even had chances to turn it around,” said Gil during his appearance on the PodPah podcast.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

In that final, the first leg ended 0-0 in Itaquera, while the second took place at Maracanã and started with Flamengo scoring. In the second half, Corinthians found the net with Giuliano, but the comeback didn’t happen and the champion was decided on penalties.

Cássio saved the first, but Fagner and Mateus Vital ended up missing, sealing the black-and-white defeat in Rio de Janeiro. Without the title, Corinthians endured two more seasons without lifting a trophy, a drought that was broken with this year’s Paulistão, against Palmeiras.

At the end of that season, Vítor Pereira chose not to renew with Corinthians, giving excuses about his mother-in-law’s health. However, weeks later, he was announced as coach of Flamengo itself, where he was unsuccessful and was fired within a few months. He is currently coaching Wolverhampton, in England.

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