Igor Vinícius: Santos must treat Mirassol clash as a derby | OneFootball

One of the main characters in the victory over Palmeiras, right-back Igor Vinícius gave a press conference this Tuesday at CT Rei Pelé. The defender has already shifted his focus and is looking ahead to the important match against Mirassol, which could allow Santos to widen the gap from the relegation zone.

“We know we have some examples of big games where we played very well, then we got complacent and had not-so-good results. We keep this in mind, we know the importance of the game against Mirassol, a team that is in a fantastic phase. But we are very focused, working to get the three points and continue in this final stretch,” said the number 18.

Santos comes from a crucial victory against Palmeiras in last Saturday's classic. With the positive result, the Alvinegro Praiano reached 36 points and climbed to 16th place, pushing Vitória into the relegation zone.

In Igor Vinícius's view, Santos needs to approach the game against Mirassol as they did the duel against Palmeiras: as if it were a classic. He highlighted the team's resilience to bounce back after two consecutive defeats and even praised the Peixe fans.

“Well, I think we should approach it as if it were a classic. We knew the difficulties we would face in these three games, against Flamengo and Palmeiras, but the group showed a very strong mentality and resilience. We must also praise the fans, who put on a fantastic show. As soon as we entered the street, the atmosphere was different, I felt it would be good for us. We know the tickets are already sold out, that tomorrow will be similar to what it was against Palmeiras. We hope to play a good game and add three more points,” projected the full-back.

(Photo: Thais Bueno/Gazeta Press)

Igor Vinícius: from villain to hero

Igor Vinícius went from villain to hero in the span of a week. On November 9, the right-back made a mistake in the game against Flamengo, which led to the third goal of the Carioca rival. Less than a week later, he was a standout in the classic against Palmeiras. The defender revealed that he had support from the coaching staff, team, and management and highlighted the importance of this.

“I was under a lot of pressure, it was a tough week, both because of the result and my mistake. I acknowledged it later in the locker room. I understand that I was having a good game against Flamengo, then I made this mistake and lost focus afterward. Mistakes happen, and that's what I told myself afterward. But let it serve as a lesson, as an example. I had support from everyone on the coaching staff, Mattos called me, Gustavo [Ferreira] talked to me. Having this support was crucial for me to bounce back this week,” he revealed.

Despite having left the relegation zone, Santos is not completely free from the risk of falling. To move away from this scenario for good, Peixe seeks victory against Mirassol and hopes for a slip-up from Vitória, who face the runner-up Palmeiras this Wednesday.

“The main thing is to know where we are, the situation we are in, that we cannot get complacent at any moment. We cannot come from a very good game and let it slip. We know the Mirassol team. Unlike other teams, Mirassol is at the top, it's a team that tries to impose its game and play, plays lightly, without responsibility. It will be a very intense game, it's a very physically strong team. We will have to be at our highest level of attention, it's a team that is doing a great job. With the support of our fans, we have everything to play a great match,” concluded the player.

Revealed in Santos's youth categories, Igor Vinícius returned to the club in July this year. In total, he has played 16 matches (11 as a starter) and has not yet contributed with goals or assists.

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