OneFootball
·13 May 2026
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsOneFootball
·13 May 2026
After the defeat to Flamengo that left Grêmio in the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship, the club’s board is treating the break for the World Cup as a turning point for the season.
In an interview with ge, vice president of football Antônio Dutra Júnior said the club has high expectations for the World Cup period, viewing it as a true preseason.
The goal is to make the most of the break to improve the team and come back stronger for the challenges of the second half of the year.
The executive admitted that the atmosphere at the club is one of intense pressure and mutual accountability among the players, coaching staff, and board.
"We all hold each other accountable. All the players, the coaching staff, the board, the employees — we all push ourselves and always try to do our best," he said.
Although he did not set a deadline for a definitive improvement under head coach Luís Castro, Dutra stressed that the board evaluates the work daily and has noticed a good response from the players.
He highlighted that the team has already shown progress with tactical changes and greater defensive solidity, hoping these adjustments will turn into crucial points in the upcoming matches to ease the situation in the standings.
Before the break, Grêmio will still have to get through a marathon of six decisive matches across three competitions.
The schedule includes clashes with Confiança in the Copa do Brasil, Bahia, Santos, and Corinthians in the Brasileirão, as well as matches against Palestino and Torque in the Copa Sudamericana.
After the match against the São Paulo side, scheduled for May thirtieth, the squad and coaching staff will have fifteen days off before beginning training sessions and warm-up friendlies ahead of the official return of the competitions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
📸 DANTE FERNANDEZ - AFP or licensors


Live





































