Fernando Diniz hails Corinthians in derby, sees team progress | OneFootball

Corinthians drew 0-0 with Palmeiras this Sunday (12) in a match valid for the 11th round of the Brazilian Championship. In a derby marked by high intensity, physical battles, and two red cards for the black-and-white side, head coach Fernando Diniz praised the team’s commitment and highlighted the fighting spirit shown throughout the match.

“Regarding the game, which is the most important thing, Corinthians gave a clear demonstration of strength and fighting spirit. It was one of those matches that stay with you, not because of the result itself, but because of the commitment. The team represented the fans very well, and today the team and the fans were on the same wavelength, fighting until the end. We perhaps had the clearest chance of the game, even with two players fewer. The team deserves congratulations. We need to learn from the positive things that happened, that we managed to remain competitive even with eight players, and also avoid red cards, because that makes a huge difference,” said the coach.

Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images

During the press conference, Diniz also gave an update on two key squad players: Memphis Depay and Kaio César. Both are still recovering physically and are not yet guaranteed to return for the next round, although the Dutch forward made every effort to be available for the derby.

The coach stressed the importance of respecting the players’ recovery time and avoided setting definitive deadlines, remaining cautious about the duo’s return for the rest of Corinthians’ season.

“Both are in the recovery process. Memphis did everything he could to play in this match, but he wasn’t fit to do so. Kaio César is improving, but I can’t say exactly in which match he will be available,” the manager pointed out.

Asked about midfielder André’s sending-off and the tactical changes needed throughout the game, Diniz explained how he reorganized the team even while being at a numerical disadvantage. The coach highlighted the versatility of some players and praised the collective commitment in defensive recovery. According to him, the team managed to stay organized even with two men fewer, which reinforces the group’s competitiveness in adverse situations.

“I’m going to be very honest: I still haven’t seen the play on television, I haven’t seen the footage, so I can’t say whether it’s similar to Allan’s incident. As for the tactical side, the team had consistency in defending with two lines of four, with Garro and Yuri up front. After André went off, we were left with one player fewer, but we kept the back line of four. We moved Garro out wide, and that shows he doesn’t need to play only as a number 10 — he defended very well there. I’ve already spoken with him, and I know he has played in other positions before. Today he performed that role very well,” the coach said.

“The team deserves congratulations. Then, after the second sending-off, we kept two lines of four. Yuri also deserves mention because he played a different role, helping with marking and still contributing to the build-up. He is a very strong and dedicated player. When Kaique couldn’t continue anymore, we made the change. Yuri helped a lot, including in transition with speed,” he added.

The Corinthians coach also spoke about his playing philosophy and the changes he has been implementing since his arrival. Diniz highlighted his search for a more compact team, with players staying close to one another and varying their attacking moves, even with the little time available for training. In addition, the coach made sure to value the previous work and said he is trying to continue what was already being done well while gradually introducing his own ideas.

“That closeness is certainly a feature of the kind of football I propose: closeness, switching flanks. You don’t always need to be close to switch the point of attack, but that is a tendency. Corinthians are going through a moment of instability, but it is a team that recently won two titles. I faced a well-coached team. Today we managed to build from the back short, long, with combinations out wide and through the middle. With the little time we have, we practically have no time at all — we need to ‘invent’ time to train. I worked on the pitch, through video, gradually passing on the ideas, while also keeping good things that were already here,” Fernando Diniz commented.

When assessing his derby debut as Corinthians coach, Diniz stressed that the team’s main gain was the recovery of its competitive spirit. For him, more than any tactical adjustment, the commitment shown by the players was decisive for the performance against their rivals. The coach reinforced that a fighting identity is essential for the club and that this aspect must remain the foundation for the team’s development throughout the season.

“What I have never given up on in my career is the ability to fight. That has a lot to do with Corinthians. The players were heroic today in their commitment, and that brings the team closer to the fans. After that, we can adjust the tactical side, but there is no tactical adjustment that makes up for a lack of energy, desire, or fighting spirit. The biggest gain in these matches was recovering this ability to fight for every ball, to be competitive, to want to win, and also to defend well. It was something similar to the game in Argentina, against Platense, which is a strong team. There too we got the result through fighting spirit,” he said.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the coach avoided making bold projections, but made it clear that the objective is to improve Corinthians’ position in the Brazilian Championship and keep the team competitive in every competition it is playing in. Diniz stressed the importance of treating every match as decisive, especially given the team’s current place in the table, and reinforced the ambition to go far on all fronts.

“The outlook is the best possible. In the Brazilian Championship, we need to climb out of this uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible. In the other competitions, we want to go far. We have to treat every game as decisive, as we did today. The league is long, there is a gap to the top, but we have to think game by game, with a strong mentality to move forward on all fronts,” Fernando Diniz stressed.

The coach also commented on forward Memphis Depay, who is often involved in debates off the pitch. Diniz showed confidence in the player’s recovery and said he intends to help him feel increasingly comfortable at the club. In addition, the coach emphasized the importance of dialogue between the coaching staff, medical department, and players to avoid further physical issues.

“I like Memphis a lot, both as a player and as a person. He has a strong personality, which is good for football. I will do everything I can to make him feel at home, comfortable, eager to stay at Corinthians and bring joy to the fans,” Diniz said.

“That’s a difficult question to answer. It involves many professionals. But I know Corinthians have qualified professionals and that Memphis is also a great professional. I like to work with dialogue between the coaching staff, the medical department, and the player. We will find common ground to help him and the other players as well. I haven’t gone deeply into the subject yet, but I have already spoken with Memphis and I believe we will build a harmonious relationship that benefits everyone,” he continued.

Finally, Diniz addressed the situation at right-back after Matheuzinho’s sending-off and indicated that he will still assess the available options before the next match. The coach said he can turn either to a natural player in the position or to an improvised solution.

“We have little time until the next game. First we will focus on the Libertadores, then think about the match against Vitória. But we have options. We can use a player in the position or improvise. By then, we will define the best solution for Corinthians,” the coach concluded.

After hosting Palmeiras in Itaquera for the Brazilian Championship, Corinthians now turn their focus back to the Conmebol Libertadores group stage. That is because next Wednesday (15), at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, the black-and-white side will face Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia at Neo Química Arena in the second round of the international competition.

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