Raniele on Coritiba defeat, Brasileirão focus and Libertadores race | OneFootball

Corinthians returned to the pitch on Sunday night (23) in the Brazilian Championship and ended up losing 2-1 to Coritiba at Couto Pereira Stadium in the 24th round of the national competition. The only goal for the black-and-white side was scored by Raniele deep into second-half stoppage time.

With the result, Timão remained on 32 points and dropped to 10th place in the Brasileirão table. After the match, Raniele spoke in the mixed zone and analyzed the difficulties Corinthians faced over the 90 minutes. For the defensive midfielder, one of the team’s main problems was creating clearer scoring chances.

Photos: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

“I think our biggest difficulty was creating scoring situations. I think we had, maybe not control, but a good amount of possession and attacking volume. We created moves that could have led to more crosses, more dangerous situations. And I think that was missing a little bit. We needed a little more of trying, I don’t know, to find a ball through the middle or attempt a more accurate cross. Our goal came like that, and there were two other dangerous situations in the same way. So I think that was our biggest difficulty on the ball. And I also think Coritiba are a quality team, they managed to press well, they managed to push their pressure higher, and that’s what happened.”

Scorer of Corinthians’ goal, Raniele received a 7.1 rating from Sofascore for his performance at Couto Pereira. Even with the late reaction, Corinthians could not find an equalizer and suffered their second straight defeat in the Brazilian Championship.

The midfielder also highlighted the importance of the club improving its position in the national competition before the Libertadores quarterfinals. Having advanced after eliminating Rosario Central, Timão will now face Argentina’s Estudiantes in the next round of the continental tournament.

“I think it’s extremely important for us. Everyone knows our situation in the Libertadores. We managed to qualify. We have a tough matchup against Estudiantes now. And it’s extremely important for us to go into the Libertadores without worries in other competitions. So the higher up we are in the standings, the better. Because then we can have some kind of rest, something between Libertadores matches or even before them. So I think that’s extremely important. I also think that, for morale and the player’s momentum, knowing you’re well placed in the Brasileirão gives you a certain peace of mind when playing these knockout matches.”

For the match against Coritiba, Fernando Diniz was without Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho and Matheus Bidu, who were rested as part of load management. Asked about the absences and Corinthians’ situation in the Brasileirão, Raniele said the decision comes down to the coaching staff and the physiology department.

“I think regarding load management, the coach is the one who can talk to you more about it. He’s the one who works it out with the physiology staff. I don’t know, I’m not in the bodies of the players who were out to be able to say. But they’re players who are always playing, and I’m sure that if they had been fit to play, they would have said so and would have been here today. But regarding the management, if the coach chose that, it’s because our players really weren’t in condition to come into the match and do what he wanted them to do.”

Then the player lamented the points dropped in recent rounds and pointed to a lack of focus in specific moments as one of the team’s problems.

“As for moving up in the Brasileirão, we’re very upset. We know we can’t go through two matches like this without picking up points in the league. We make mistakes because of lapses in concentration. I think that if we don’t concede from a set piece or if we don’t concede the second goal there through a certain lack of attention, we would have found that goal at the end and it would have been a point. So I think it would have been important for us not to lose. But we’re aware, we need to improve.”

“We know that one of the biggest challenges, after a match like the one against Rosario, is keeping concentration high and keeping the competitive level high. So I think that’s the most important thing. We need to know and be aware that it’s a different competition and that we need to approach it differently.”

Raniele talks about goals in the Brasileirão

Asked how far Corinthians can go in the Brazilian Championship, Raniele avoided setting a specific target, but stressed that the team needs to aim for the top spots. The midfielder also regretted the points dropped in the last two matches against Cruzeiro and Coritiba.

“I don’t think I can come here and tell you that we’re going to fight for a Libertadores spot, but if we had had a little more attention in these last two games, we’d be in fifth place today at the very least. And then I could tell you that we were fighting there for the G4, G3. So of course we need to fight for the highest positions possible. We expect to compete near the top of the table. And we have the team for that, we need that.”

The player also compared the characteristics of the Brazilian Championship with what Timão face in knockout ties. According to Raniele, the squad has developed greater experience in knockout matches in recent years, but needs to carry that same level of concentration into the league format.

“Regarding the different competitions, the Libertadores is a more permissive competition, it’s a tournament where you can play a more combative game, and that’s a game we manage to play better. We believe Corinthians today have acquired that toughness in recent years. At least since I arrived here in 2024, the team has improved a lot in these knockout competitions and we’ve managed to play well and compete well.”

“And I really think our biggest challenge is maintaining that level of competition in the Brazilian Championship, because in knockout football, for example in the Libertadores, we have two matches now and those two matches are the matches of our lives. In the league we still have, I don’t know, how many rounds? About 14, I think. I don’t know, maybe around 14 more rounds. So we need to understand that, we need to understand that there are more games and that in every game we need to have the same level of concentration and competitiveness.”

Difficulty playing away from home

Raniele was also asked about Corinthians’ performances away from home. For the midfielder, matches need to be analyzed individually, especially because opponents usually adopt a different approach when facing the black-and-white club.

“I think analyzing it like this: ‘Oh, away games have this or that…’ I think we have to analyze it much more game by game rather than really saying: ‘Oh, away from home we have this kind of performance.’ You come here to play against Coritiba... I’ve been on teams in this situation and I know what a player’s drive is like when playing against Corinthians.”

“I’m sure Coritiba’s players won’t face another big club the same way they face us. So I think it’s different for them. The fans come, there are 40,000 people. You go play Chapecoense there, their drive is different. You go play, I don’t know, Red Bull Bragantino there, their team’s drive is different. The players want to show themselves, they want to be here on Corinthians’ side.”

“So we have to analyze that, we have to see it that way, because everyone wants our place, everyone wants to compete against Corinthians, everyone knows everyone watches Corinthians matches, and it’s a huge showcase for those players. So I think it’s important for us to know that, to know that against us the intensity will be much greater and to know how to interpret the matches that way.”

Midfielder comments on attacking difficulties

Finally, Raniele acknowledged that the lack of efficiency in finishing chances has been bothering the squad. The midfielder mentioned other recent matches and argued that certain attacking choices are defined based on the coaching staff’s analysis of the opponent.

“It bothers us, because we know that at Corinthians’ level, in the level of the competitions we play in, any slip-up we make, the other team is capable of hurting us. So the first thing we say is that we have to take our chances, because when they get chances, they try to make the most of them against us. So when we control a match that way, we have to create volume, we have to create situations.”

“Sometimes I see people complaining about, for example, the Internacional game, which was a game where we were eliminated. But come on, everyone saying Corinthians just played for crosses. Man, we analyze those guys, we know what they’re like. Internacional came with a very deep block. Then it’s: ‘Oh, why don’t you try to play more through the middle?’ Play through the middle how, guys? That doesn’t exist.”

“The one who analyzes them is Diniz, he tells us what needs to be done. What do we have to do? We have to create volume through crosses, yes, because crosses win corners, create second balls. Then the guys start marking the flanks, and only then do you play through the middle. So the ones who analyze the games are us, we know what we have to do. So I think it’s important for us to understand that.”

After the setback in Curitiba, Corinthians will have a full week until their next match. Timão return to action next Sunday (30) at 4 p.m. (Brasília time), when they host Santos at Neo Química Arena in the 25th round of the Brazilian Championship.

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