Gabriel on joining Corinthians after leaving rivals: ‘It helped me mature’ | OneFootball

Defensive midfielder Gabriel, who currently plays for Red Bull Bragantino, stood out in a Corinthians shirt shortly after leaving rivals Palmeiras. Commenting on the unusual move in Brazilian football, the player said it was a huge learning experience and highlighted the importance of that moment for his career.

“It was pretty crazy at the time, I was still young and went through a lot. It was a huge learning experience, a moment in my career when I knew I had to arrive at Corinthians in good shape. It’s hard to go directly from one rival to another, I think few have done that. That transition was important for maturing and going through a lot,” he said.

during the Corinthians/Brazil vs. Montevideo Wanderers/Uruguay match, held tonight at Arena Corinthians, round of 16 of the 2019 Copa Sudamericana. Referee: Jose Argote – São Paulo/SP – Brazil – 07/25/2019. Photo: © Daniel Augusto Jr. / Ag. Corinthians

“I don’t think so [I was afraid of the change], otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. It was a challenge I accepted and went for it. It worked out really well, because I arrived at Corinthians in 2017 and we won the Paulista and the Brasileirão. It was a very important turning point in my career, part of what I had to experience in football,” he added.

A three-time Paulista champion and winner of the 2017 Brazilian Championship, Gabriel made his mark in the black-and-white shirt, playing 228 matches. He scored eight goals and provided four assists. After leaving Timão, the player played for Internacional and Athletico-PR before joining Bragantino. In the interview, he also spoke about what it was like to return to Itaquera to face Corinthians.

“It was special, it’s different facing a club where you made history. It was emotional for me. It’s a photo from before the match, when I was still Inter’s captain. It was very iconic for me,” he recalled.

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