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

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

The feat marks the longest run of starts for São Paulo’s new signing since May 2024, when he was playing for Augsburg in Germany and put together 15 straight games in the European starting XI — something he had not managed 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 out of action due to 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 at 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 earning his place in the team under the coaching staff, who gave him the opportunity to put together this run.

“I’ve always been training hard, preparing myself for this moment of having a run of games, of having confidence, and here I found that. 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 has already provided one assist. He has been cementing his place in the side with good performances, leaving Wendell on the bench.

End of drought and fans’ 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 battle against relegation.

Full-back Iago emphasized the importance of the fans’ support during the team’s unstable spell and urged maximum focus in the coming rounds.

“We think game by game. Every match from here on is like a final. The fans are our 12th player. They support us for the full 90 minutes, they sing, they encourage us. Having that support is very important because it gives us an extra boost on the pitch, and without them, it would be harder,” Iago said.

“We’re always focused on working, winning matches and getting São Paulo out of this situation. I think today was an important step for us. We have to adapt to whatever system the coach puts in place to do 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 field only at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) next Saturday (9/5), against Atlético-MG, once again at Morumbi, aiming to definitively seal its rise in the Brasileirão.

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