Maycon: 2022 Copa do Brasil runner-up was my biggest heartbreak | OneFootball

Thinking about the final stretch of the Copa do Brasil, midfielder Maycon, a holdover from the last time Corinthians reached the final of the competition in 2022, recalled the runner-up finish and described the episode as the “greatest pain” he has felt at the São Paulo club. On that occasion, Timão faced Flamengo and drew 0-0 in the first leg at the Arena, and after a 1-1 draw at Maracanã in the return leg, took the lead in the penalty shootout, but suffered a comeback and ended up as runners-up.

As one of the main leaders of the squad, Maycon seeks to guide the new players in decisive moments. Although he does not know if he will remain at Corinthians, the midfielder is aiming to win his fifth title wearing the black and white shirt. He has already lifted the Brasileirão trophy in 2017 and three Campeonato Paulista titles (2017, 2018, and 2025).

“What I try to convey to the players every day is that the greatest pain I have at Corinthians is having lost that Copa do Brasil final to Flamengo. It took me a few months to get over it, because of everything that happened in the game, everything that happened in that match… Curiously, Dorival was on the other side. At some point in the second half, we were very dominant, and in the penalties as well. Cássio saved the first penalty and we had one hand on the trophy, but we ended up losing that final,” the midfielder revealed in a press conference.

After Cássio saved Filipe Luís’ penalty, Flamengo’s first in the shootout, Fagner hit the crossbar and, in the alternating kicks, Mateus Vital shot over the goal and handed the trophy to Flamengo.

Other Eliminations

Despite mostly recalling the runner-up finish, Maycon also remembered Corinthians’ most recent eliminations from the Copa do Brasil. The midfielder was present in São Paulo’s comeback in the quarterfinals in 2023, and the elimination to Flamengo in the semifinals in 2024. In fact, in both years, Timão was knocked out by the eventual champion of the competition.

“Consequently, in 2023 we lost the spot to São Paulo at Morumbi. In 2024 we lost the qualification at the Arena with one more player. There are many lessons, we’ve been through several moments and I think it’s my duty to pass on to the players everything I’ve experienced here,” he added.

Even with the negative record, Maycon showed confidence. The midfielder stated that matches like the one against Palmeiras, in the Paulistão final, strengthen the team’s mentality and characterized knockout games as “surgical”.

“It’s a competition that rewards the most surgical team. I think the Copa do Brasil games are very mental and your mindset has to be very strong in these games. That’s what I try to pass on to the players. I believe the team is very ready to have a great semifinal and we are ready to win this title,” he concluded.

Corinthians return to the field this Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), when they face Cruzeiro at Mineirão in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinal. The decisive match will be this Sunday (14th) at 6 p.m. at Neo Química Arena.

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