Corinthians boss on Lingard debut, explains use of Moroccan | OneFootball

On the night of last Wednesday (1), Corinthians visited Fluminense at Maracanã Stadium in a match valid for the ninth round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, and was beaten 3-1. Corinthians’ goal was scored by midfielder André Luiz in the closing stages of the match. The setback dropped Alvinegro to 13th place with 10 points — two wins, four draws, and three losses — with eight goals scored and eight conceded.

Moments after the final whistle, head coach Dorival Júnior held a press conference and analyzed the debut of 33-year-old English midfielder Jesse Lingard, who came on from the bench at halftime. He also said he trusts in the team’s recovery, as they are now winless in eight matches, responded about the use of Moroccan player Zakaria Labyad, and spoke about the importance of Yuri Alberto’s strong performances to the team’s attacking game plan.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Jesse Lingard’s first match

“Little by little, he has been getting into better condition, and we are following that progress. When he came on, he did well, showed willingness, and looked to combine with Jesse Lingard, which was important. The expectation is that, in the next opportunities, he will be able to play in a more favorable scenario and under better conditions to perform.”

How much Yuri Alberto’s performance affects the team’s attacking strategy and the adaptation of the reinforcements for that area to the tactical model

“We have a clear characteristic in attack, with Yuri being the most advanced player. When he is doing well, things flow positively. When we do not have Yuri at a good level, we find more difficulties, because he has unique characteristics within the squad. The attacking signings are still being integrated. Today, for example, one of them made his debut, while Zakaria made his second appearance and Kaio only had one half against Santos, in which he did well. In addition, we have young players who are beginning to fight for space, which requires patience. Things will not always happen as expected.”

On Zakaria Labyad having been used in only two matches so far

“Indeed, he came on in two matches in which we had to chase the result. Whoever is on the bench needs to be prepared for that, to come in during positive moments and also in adverse situations. This is not something isolated to one or another player.”

The team’s inconsistency and confidence in a turnaround

“The lack of chemistry or of players who already have an established dynamic can impact performance, and that increases the degree of difficulty. Even so, work is being done. We have already been one of the teams with the best possession in the competition and we can get back to that level. “I believe the work strengthens the team, and I am convinced that we will find our way again. We thought we had already overcome this inconsistent spell, especially because of what has been shown in training, but that has still not been reflected in matches in the way we expected.”

“Even so, I have no doubt that this team has the conditions to react. At other times, we have already shown great strength and a great ability to overcome adversity. In the same way that we are going through a run of negative results, we can find a positive path from here on. I believe in the work, the commitment, the dedication, and in taking responsibility for the moment we are living through.”

Next match

After being beaten by Fluminense away from home in the Brazilian Championship, Corinthians, under pressure and in turmoil, remains focused on the national competition. That is because next Sunday (5), at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), Alvinegro will host Internacional at Neo Química Arena in the 10th round of the tournament.

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