After thrashing, Casares backs Crespo to stay at São Paulo until 2026 | OneFootball

Despite the thrashing suffered on Thursday, coach Hernán Crespo does not seem to be at risk of being dismissed from São Paulo – at least for now. In a press conference last Friday, president Julio Casares emphasized his confidence in the Argentine's work and supported the coach for the next season.

In the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship, São Paulo was overrun and thrashed by Fluminense 6-0 at Maracanã last Thursday. Due to the result, speculations about Crespo's future gained momentum. However, just like the football executive Rui Costa, the president of São Paulo reinforced the coach's presence in the planning for the next season.

“First, I want to say that we count on Crespo. He is part of the 2026 planning, with periodic meetings that have been happening,” said Casares.

“What I believe is that we have a path. We do expect Crespo, especially because he is involved in all the planning for 2026. We have already held meetings and the expectation is that he stays,” he added at another moment of the press conference.

(Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @juliocasares_sp)

Crespo's second stint at São Paulo has had its ups and downs so far. With the coach's arrival, the team completely escaped the threat of relegation and began to dream of a spot in the Libertadores – which can no longer be achieved, as the team no longer reaches the G7.

However, the coach had to deal with a significant wave of injuries that affected the team's planning. Crespo did not even have the chance to count on the star duo Lucas and Oscar playing together, in addition to having more important players affected by injuries – Arboleda, Ferreirinha, and Luciano are the most recent examples.

In this scenario, Crespo has needed to reinvent himself as a coach. In this second stint at São Paulo, he has 12 wins, five draws, and 15 losses in 30 games. The Argentine has a contract with the team until December 2026, when Casares' term ends.

Reinforcements for Crespo?

The club's president has not traveled with the team in recent games. But, according to Casares, there is a reason behind it. The president's daily focus has been on seeking investments for the first transfer window of 2026, prioritizing reinforcements that fit the club's current financial reality.

“The investment issue is a responsibility I have been working on a lot. The responsibility of a president is also institutional, it is also commercial. When it comes to investments, it is the president's presence that has the credibility to make it happen without specifying the type, size, and form of the investment. We are seeking and working on processes for 2026. We will have definition processes after the Brasileirão,” he stated.

In a recent press conference, football executive Rui Costa was frank about the planning São Paulo has adopted in recent years due to financial difficulties. The team has opted to bring in free agents or through a loan model, with a purchase option upon meeting certain goals. The trend is that for 2026, the club will follow the same path.

Numbers of Crespo's second stint at São Paulo

Upcoming São Paulo matches

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