São Paulo’s new first-choice full-back, Iago ends 2-year wait | OneFootball

Left-back Iago made his third consecutive start for São Paulo on the night of last Saturday (29), in the 2-1 win over Bragantino at Morumbi Stadium.

The achievement marks the longest run of starts for São Paulo’s new signing since May 2024, when he was playing for Augsburg of Germany and put together 15 straight games in the European starting XI — something he had not managed to repeat during his spell at Bahia between 2024 and 2026 due to recurring injuries.

During that period, the full-back spent no fewer than 182 days sidelined with medical issues and played only 54 matches in two years at the club. When he was introduced at São Paulo, he spoke about the issue but said he had fully recovered.

“I suffered a little (with the injuries), but I looked for a solution so it wouldn’t happen again. I sought out São Paulo’s professionals when I arrived so I could adapt as quickly as possible. I arrived in good shape and did well in all the tests,” the player said during his presentation at the Tricolor training center.

And in an interview given in the mixed zone after the final whistle against Bragantino in the corridors of Morumbi, Iago praised his current moment at the club and the space he has earned in the team under the coaching staff, which gave him the chance to build this run.

“I’ve always been training hard, preparing myself for this moment of getting a run of games, of having confidence, and I found that here. It’s working out, and I’m grateful for this run, but I have to keep working to help São Paulo,” said the São Paulo full-back, who made his fifth appearance for the team and already has one assist. He has been establishing himself in the side with strong performances, keeping Wendell on the bench.

End of winless streak and fan support

The positive result against Bragantino ended Tricolor’s negative run of ten matches without a win in Brazil’s Série A. With the victory, São Paulo reached 30 points and moved up to 11th place in the standings, easing the pressure in the fight against the relegation zone.

Left-back Iago stressed the importance of the fans’ support during the team’s unstable spell and said the upcoming rounds must be approached with maximum focus.

“We take it game by game. From here on, every match is like a final. The fans are our 12th player. They support us for the full 90 minutes, sing, and encourage us. Having that support is very important because it gives us extra energy on the pitch and, without them, it would be more difficult,” Iago said.

“We are always focused on working, winning matches, and getting São Paulo out of this situation. I think today was an important step forward for us. We have to adapt to whatever system the coach puts in place and give our best to help São Paulo, and today everything worked out,” the player concluded.

Looking to improve things even further, Tricolor will return to the pitch only at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) next Saturday (9/5), against Atlético-MG, once again at Morumbi, aiming to definitively cement its rise in the Brasileirão.

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