Gabriel Paulista admits errors, sees progress, urges Corinthians to react | OneFootball

Corinthians drew 1-1 with Flamengo last Sunday (22) at the Neo Química Arena, during the eighth round of the Brazilian Championship. After the match, defender Gabriel Paulista analyzed the team's current situation, took responsibility for the mistakes, and commented on the pressure faced by the alvinegro squad. Right after the game, the defender highlighted that despite the winless streak, the team has been showing improvement but has returned to making decisive mistakes in recent games.

“I think we have improved in these games. In the last two games against Santos and today, they were individual mistakes. I take responsibility, I make mistakes, that's also part of football. It wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last. We're in there for a lot of things, of course, we always want to get it right, but mistakes happen. Then Hugo made a great save too, which might have complicated our game even more”, he stated.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

“We are very bothered by all this, with several games without winning. We need to take advantage of all the good things we did today, we tried to attack Flamengo, who closed very well inside. Especially after the expulsion, they managed to close up, we tried to find plays more on the outside, but unfortunately, we couldn't score the second goal. But we need to take advantage of all this, make the most of this week we will have of 100 games. And come back better in the next game when Fluminense is away and seek the three points”, continued the defender.

Subsequently, Gabriel Paulista also spoke about the division of responsibility between players and the coaching staff, reinforcing the need for everyone to own up to their mistakes given the club's current situation.

“As I said, I am the first to come here and admit my mistakes because I need to improve more and more. Corinthians needs me, so I believe the players also have the same mindset, that we need to improve more and more, and everyone benefits from this, it's the team, it's Corinthians. It's normal for pressure to come, we're pressured even in victories, it's normal, it's Corinthians. If I didn't want this kind of pressure, I would stop playing football or maybe I wouldn't have come to Corinthians. I would stay somewhere else that doesn't have pressure”, the player commented.

“So it's important, having the pressure, because otherwise, we might get more complacent, and then things would be worse. So it's everyone coming and owning up to their mistake, as I said, I'm the first. Other players will certainly own up to their mistakes. Coach Dorival also knows he can improve the team, and I think that's it. We need to take advantage, not just say it was a bad game because it wasn't a bad game. We tried to get the result, Flamengo is a very good team, a very qualified team, they have great players who can decide a game, and we managed to neutralize them and sought the result. But unfortunately, we didn't get the three points. But it's about taking advantage of all this and carrying it into the next game”, he added.

The defender also commented on one of the most discussed incidents of the match, involving contact with Jorginho inside the area, and explained his version of the moment. The defender admitted he accidentally hit the opponent but that it wasn't a play warranting expulsion.

“It's an area play, where there's a lot of physical contact. And I just tried to remove Jorginho and my fist hit his face. At the time, I went to the referee and admitted the mistake, I said what had happened. I believe VAR said the same thing I had told him. So it just stayed at that, it wasn't aggression. It was a movement with my arm that touched his face, so it wasn't an expulsion-worthy incident. Maybe even without intention, if I made the movement and my elbow touched, then yes, it would be for expulsion”, he explained.

“But Flamengo is also within their rights to complain, it's normal. Just as we also complained about several incidents. In André's incident inside the area, which for us was a penalty, he didn't call it. VAR should have intervened, as it did in the expulsion. The referee gives the red card, VAR thinks it's not for a red, he calls, and the referee maintained his decision. So I believe in André's incident he should have done the same and didn't”, he completed.

Asked about a possible episode involving Memphis Depay on the bench, Gabriel avoided commenting as he hadn't witnessed the situation. The Dutchman was caught using his phone but claimed it was to communicate with his national team's medical staff.

“I can't tell you anything about that because I didn't see it, I don't know what happened, I don't know what he was doing there, if he really had the phone. So I can't tell you anything. Maybe if the coaching staff or the captains see that it was something unimportant for him to have the phone, they'll call his attention,” he pointed out.

Thinking about the rest of the season, the defender highlighted the importance of the period without games for adjustments and recovery of the squad. Corinthians will have a week without commitments due to the FIFA Date break.

“I believe that in training we will improve, we will have some rest time. Of course, we also need to enjoy a bit of family time, enjoy a bit of everything that puts football aside a little and then come back 100% to football, return to training, improve what we need to improve. Because we will have time, coach Dorival knows what we need to improve, we players too. We know what's necessary for Corinthians to fight at the top, because a club like this can't stay below. That doesn't cross our minds”, he said.

So this will be a good week, for all that, to reflect. It's already several games without winning, we feel pressured, which is normal and even good. And next week we will be 100% recovered. Players who maybe aren't physically well. Lingard too, who I think will be fit to play. So he's also a player who will add a lot to our team and we will go with full strength against Fluminense, and we will seek the three points,” he stated.

Finally, Gabriel Paulista spoke about the constant pressure from the fans and the ups and downs experienced by Corinthians in a short period, treating the situation naturally due to the club's size.

“It's normal, as I said. It's Corinthians, it's pressure every day, we wake up already pressured. It's normal, we train under pressure, it's Corinthians. I'm a Corinthians fan, so this pressure is really enjoyable, it's very good. If I didn't want this, maybe I would practice another sport or would have already stopped playing football, or would stay in another club that doesn't have this pressure that we have here. And I believe all the players in the squad are used to this, with this kind of pressure. And even more so, many players here, what they went through two years ago, a year and a half ago, today it's not all that they suffered.

“But it's Corinthians, you have to win always, this pressure will be there. It's a good pressure, to win. But that's it, it's responsibility, this week will be a good week for us to enjoy with family, reflect on everything we've been doing. And we need to improve a lot and try to win in the championship, because it's important for us. But I believe this phase will pass and we will enjoy all of this a lot in the future,” he concluded.

The alvinegro squad will now have nine days to work until the match against Fluminense, for the ninth round of the Brazilian Championship, scheduled for after the FIFA Date. For the national team period, Corinthians had three players called up: André Carrillo for Peru, Memphis Depay for the Netherlands, and Hugo Souza for the Brazilian National Team.

See More:

Corinthians News

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