Jardim on team changes for Santos, eyes Corinthians clashes | OneFootball

“Cruzeiro had absolute control of the game until 2-0. Then we relaxed a bit, and from there the opponent grew, made it 2-1. The team started making some mistakes and allowed the opponent to equalize. We would have liked to win today, but we managed to be on the podium, as I had said, in recent years only Palmeiras had been consistently on the podium. I even think that after 2014, it's the only top 3 we have. Let this podium be an objective, an ambition, in terms of the future, because Cruzeiro fans deserve it.”

“Regarding the season, it started in a difficult way, which is why they changed the coach. Our players showed that it was possible to compete for the top spots in the championship starting from the game against São Paulo. Before that game, I told the players: we have the São Paulo game and the Bahia game, if we don't change behaviors and attitudes, I'm here doing nothing. I told the president: ‘I will make changes, if it doesn't go well, after the Bahia game I'll leave, you won't pay a penny. I'm not here to be just another one. I'm here to achieve the club's objectives and I believe these players have responsibility.’ On that day, they showed they had quality and had the season they did. That meeting left me satisfied, it was important, the click for them to demonstrate their true value.”

“For the next game, I would like to play with our best version, you know I'm not one to rotate the squad much and make big changes. But the calendar demands it. We have a game in 6 days and I can't field the team that played the most, which already has 50, 60 games, to travel and play another tough game in Santos. It's an opportunity for those who have played less to gain some rhythm, because the Brazilian Cup is extremely competitive.”

“We will never prepare for the Corinthians game by analyzing the Brasileirão game. In football, each game has its story. Like today, there were two stories, the first when we had more possession, more concentration, well-organized, and then when we relaxed a bit and the opponent managed to be better than us. Every game we have to play with ambition, focus, and against Corinthians it has to be that way: knowing our value, but being humble. Our players are humble, but from the outside, people think the team loses, and that's sometimes negative. These are extremely competitive games, we have the ambition to win. Corinthians, Fluminense, and Vasco are good teams, it's important to work well, fill Mineirão, bring a good result here to go to the Arena with the best result.”

“Honestly, I managed to realize many of the ideas I had when coming to Brazil. I was fortunate to work at an extraordinary club, which will always be my club in Brazil. The passion, our fans, the support they give is positive. I believe that in sporting terms we want to win the championship. We managed to gather many good things, for me it has been a huge satisfaction.”

“It's an extremely competitive championship. There are initial candidates who are now fighting relegation, like Internacional. Candidates who are still trying to compete for a spot in the South American Cup. This doesn't happen much in other countries. Regarding the Libertadores, we are satisfied, Minas Gerais will have a representative next year, which is important. I'm excited, we have to be motivated, to fulfill this semifinal against Corinthians, to achieve the result we want.”

“I would like to talk less about refereeing. That the results were not influenced by refereeing. I watch all the games. Today I saw an aggression, which was only seen because it went to VAR. What did they call? A foul against us. I can't understand. Something everyone sees, an aggression, only seen on video. It's what we have, we have to know how to live with what we have. I won't complain. I came here to take on the good things and the less good things. But I would very much like one of the country's most important competitions not to be tainted by refereeing.”

“Our idea is to recover these players who have a higher game load. We are talking about this group that played today. Attention to some players who have minor issues, so we don't expose them. But we will build a competitive team, because Cruzeiro has a large group, of quality players who don't play, in this type of situation (against Santos) they will have opportunities to show, to prepare to have playing time to enter against Corinthians and maintain the team's intensity. This is fundamental.”

“Our qualification for the Libertadores is a great motivation for everyone. I had the feeling that playing the Libertadores in Brazil is important. But, at this moment, it's not time to think about it. In the future, those who are here, who will defend Cruzeiro's colors, will do their best. The focus of this group is to finish the championship, but already preparing for the duels against Corinthians.”

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