Gabigol on Tite's arrival and future at Cruzeiro: "I'm due back on the 2nd"

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·19 de diciembre de 2025

Gabigol on Tite's arrival and future at Cruzeiro: "I'm due back on the 2nd"

The main signing of Cruzeiro this season, Abigol spoke for the first time about Tite's arrival as the club's head coach, his adaptation to Leonardo Jardim's playing style, and his future at the club after the missed penalty that eliminated Raposa from the Copa do Brasil.

Speaking about the season on the podcast “PodPah”, the forward explained how he dealt with being on the bench and talked about Leonardo Jardim's playing system, who left the club at the end of the season.

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According to the forward, the playing model adopted by the Portuguese coach did not enhance his main characteristics, which ended up limiting his performance, despite his constant effort to contribute to the team. He made a point of emphasizing that, even in an adverse scenario, he always gave his best and rejected any interpretation of lack of effort or technical decline.

“We played in a style that didn't favor me. I tried to help in the best way possible, but really the system we played was better for other players, but that doesn't mean I didn't help or didn't give my all, that Gabigol is a terrible player.”

“Is the coach enhancing this guy, Kaio Jorge plays like this, Gabriel like that, it's another way of playing. That's why a coach is so important in the team, he has various pieces and can use them in all sorts of ways, there's no need to play the same way.”

After a stint marked by clashes with the coach at Flamengo, the forward adopted a conciliatory tone, highlighted that he holds no grudges, and reinforced the importance of mutual respect, in addition to emphasizing the commitment to the sports project he intends to build at Toca da Raposa II.

“The situation is very clear, even Pedrinho joked about it. He is the team's coach, I have nothing against him. I gave my opinion as he has his, but we are here for Cruzeiro. It's not about Gabriel or him (Tite). It's about the group, about Cruzeiro winning. We had no problem at Flamengo and I respect him like all my coaches. He is in charge, I'm a player, and whatever I have to do to help Cruzeiro, I will do.”

Amid rumors of a possible departure, Gabigol made sure to dismiss any possibility of negotiation with another club. The number 9 emphasized that he has a long-term contract with Cruzeiro and made it clear his desire to continue with the planned project, reinforcing his commitment to continue building his career in the sports project in Belo Horizonte.

“Before the semifinal, they were already placing me in another team. So much so that before the game I talked to Pedro Júnior and asked if I was sold. He said no, that I am part of the project. As I said, when I signed with Cruzeiro it was for a four-year project, not for one, two, or three years. Of course, things can be discussed by both parties and resolved, but my agent is here and he hasn't talked to any other team.”

“Of course, in the middle of the year there were teams that approached him and Cruzeiro and it was never an option to leave (Cruzeiro). My return is on the 2nd (of January). I'm on vacation, of course, things can be discussed at some point as I said in the middle of the season and people took it another way. All the players in the squad talk to the management, Matheus Henrique, João Marcelo… then some random guy on the internet says something and people believe it. I'm not going to respond every day. My focus has always been Cruzeiro, January 2nd is my return,” concluded the forward.

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