Rafael accepts the pressure, São Paulo win comes at right time | OneFootball

São Paulo beat Internacional 1-0 on Saturday night at Morumbis, in a match from the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. The winning goal was scored by Calleri from the penalty spot. With the result, the São Paulo side reached 36 points and sits 11th in the standings.

After the match, goalkeeper Rafael spoke about the importance of the victory. It is worth remembering that, in midweek, São Paulo were eliminated by Boca Juniors at Morumbi in the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana. The goalkeeper saw Saturday’s match as a direct response in the hope of better days ahead.

“It was a very difficult and extremely important match. We needed to get back to winning after a painful elimination. Nothing better than coming here and earning three very important points. Everyone deserves congratulations. We scored our goal and knew how to withstand the pressure,” said goalkeeper Rafael.

He went on to highlight the support from the stands. Even during this difficult moment, São Paulo’s fans kept supporting the team. But at some moments, the supporters booed and criticized the squad.

São Paulo focus on a Libertadores spot

“We understand the supporters. They have every right to protest and be upset about the elimination. We are too. The frustration is huge, but Morumbis was packed. They protested, but they were here. Even in a difficult moment, upset as they were, they showed up to support us. We can only thank them for being by our side,” said the goalkeeper.

São Paulo will have a complicated task in the remainder of the Brazilian Championship. The team is trying to climb a mountain to finish the competition among the places that guarantee a spot in the 2027 Copa Libertadores.

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