Gi Fernandes cites Cruzeiro study, eyes Corinthians edge in league KO | OneFootball

Corinthians wrapped up, this Sunday (30), their preparations for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Women’s Championship. Before traveling to Belo Horizonte, where the Brabas will face Cruzeiro, Gi Fernandes spoke about the work done during the week and stressed the importance of building a good result already in the first match.

The teams take the field this Monday (31), at 7:15 p.m. (Brasília time), at Arena Independência. Besides opening the battle for a place in the semifinals, the clash once again brings together the finalists of the last edition of the national tournament.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel / Corinthians

After the final training session before the match, Gi Fernandes revealed that Corinthians spent the week analyzing their opponent. Number 23 also described the Minas Gerais side as highly competitive and highlighted that the points earned during the knockout stage can make a difference in deciding home-field advantage in the following rounds.

“It was a good week, we studied Cruzeiro a lot. Cruzeiro are a very competitive team. It’s important for us to win so we can keep adding points in the championship and so that when, God willing, we reach the finals, we can play the second leg at home.”

Points still matter during the knockout stage

The concern mentioned by Gi Fernandes is related to the Brazilian Women’s Championship regulations. Even after the end of the first phase, the results obtained in the knockout matchups continue to count toward the overall standings and may influence the definition of home-field advantage in the next stages.

Corinthians already went through a similar situation last season. In 2025, the Brabas managed to overtake Cruzeiro in the cumulative standings during the knockout stage and earned the right to host the second leg of the Brazilian Championship final.

In that final, the first match ended in a 2-2 draw. In the return leg, played at Neo Química Arena, Corinthians won 1-0, with a goal from Thaís Ferreira, and secured their seventh Brazilian Women’s Championship title.

Now, Corinthians and Cruzeiro meet again, this time well before the final, with a place among the competition’s four best teams at stake.

Corinthians reach the quarterfinals after finishing second

The Brabas advanced to the knockout stage after finishing the first phase in second place. The black-and-white side collected 38 points in 17 rounds, with 12 wins, two draws, and three losses. São Paulo finished top of the table with 41 points.

Against Cruzeiro, therefore, Corinthians begin a new stage in the pursuit of another national title. In addition to trying to take control of the tie away from home, the team knows that every result can carry extra weight if they advance to the next rounds, precisely the point stressed by Gi Fernandes before the clash.

Cruzeiro and Corinthians face off this Monday (31), at 7:15 p.m. (Brasília time), at Arena Independência, in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Women’s Championship.

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