Íris Sesso on Corinthians deciders, altitude prep for Libertadores | OneFootball

Corinthians Women are heading into a decisive stretch of the season with two major fronts on the calendar. Qualified for the Brazilian Championship final and with the Libertadores coming up in October, the club is already working to manage the players’ fatigue. Íris Sesso, the director of the department, spoke about the challenges in this final stretch of the year during the Copinha Feminina draw, held last Wednesday (23) by the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF).

Before the continental competition, the Brabas are focused on the fight for the national title. Corinthians face São Paulo this Saturday (26), at 4:30 p.m. Brasília time, at Neo Química Arena, in the first leg of the final. The return match will take place on October 3, at the same time, at Morumbis.

Photo: Social Media/Corinthians

The qualification put Timão in their tenth consecutive Brasileirão Feminino final. For Íris, the club’s continued presence among the tournament’s main contenders is a result of the work done daily by the department. The executive also called on the fans to support the team in the first Majestoso of the final.

“I’m very happy, of course, and I think the Fiel fans are too. Once again, we managed to reach a Brazilian Championship final, for the tenth consecutive time. That is the result of a lot of work; these are daily challenges that we face, but they are things that serve as fuel for us. So now it’s about making the most of this opportunity and calling on the crowd, calling on the Fiel fans who are always supporting us. I always say that without the fans we lose a lot of strength. So I ask everyone to come on Saturday, 4:30 p.m., at Neo Química Arena. Come, be there, and give strength to the Brabas,” she said.

Corinthians prepare players for Quito altitude

Once the Brasileirão campaign is over, Corinthians will have little time before fully turning their attention to the Women’s Libertadores. The competition will be played in Quito, Ecuador, and the city’s altitude has been included in the club’s planning.

According to Íris, the club has already set a specific program to prepare the players. The work involves different areas of the women’s football department, including physiology, the medical department, and the coaching staff.

“Yes, we already have a very well-defined schedule. Especially because Quito is a high-altitude location. So we are already preparing the players for that. This is all planned together with our physiology staff, medical department, and coaching staff. Everyone is very well aligned. And yes, it is a very demanding competition, because there are matches every two days. With each game that goes by, the pitch becomes more worn out. And it’s not just physical fatigue, it’s mental fatigue as well. So we have to know how to do complete work, we have to be very connected so that we can arrive strong for this tournament,” she explained.

In addition to the conditions they will face in Ecuador, the packed schedule also requires attention from Corinthians. The Brabas make their Libertadores debut against Colo-Colo of Chile on October 15. Three days later, they face Caracas of Venezuela, before closing the group stage on the 21st against the Colombian runners-up.

FIFA international window increases logistical challenge before Libertadores

Another point of attention is related to the players called up to the Brazilian national team. Thais Ferreira, Jaqueline, Duda Sampaio, and Jhonson have a commitment with Brazil against Argentina on October 13, in Recife, just two days before Corinthians’ Libertadores debut.

Given the short gap, there will be no rest period for the called-up players before the trip to Ecuador. Íris said the players are aware of the plan and revealed talks with the CBF and other clubs that will also have players involved in the continental competition.

“No, there’s no such thing as a mini-vacation, no (laughs). We’ll leave the vacation for when the season is over. They know that, they’re aware, and they’re prepared as well so that when they return from the FIFA window, they will go directly to Ecuador. I’m already trying to balance things out and align them with the other teams that have players going to the Libertadores. We’re also coordinating with the CBF so that we can minimize as much as possible the fatigue of these players, so they can get to Quito as soon as possible,” she concluded.

Logistics, therefore, will be an important part of Corinthians’ preparation for the competition. The club’s intention is to reduce the impact of travel and allow the called-up players to arrive in Quito as early as possible, given the short time between the national team commitment and the Brabas’ debut.

Before fully turning their thoughts to the Libertadores, however, Corinthians still have the fight for the Brazilian title ahead. The first Majestoso of the final takes place this Saturday at Neo Química Arena, while the trophy will be decided on October 3 at Morumbis. After that, the black-and-white calendar turns its attention to the continental tournament, with a debut scheduled for October 15 against Colo-Colo.

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