Assistant coach: Corinthians lacked fight, struggled vs Santos' press

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Central do Timão

·16 octobre 2025

Assistant coach: Corinthians lacked fight, struggled vs Santos' press

By Vinícios Cotrim | Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians played below expectations and were easily defeated by Santos, who won 3-1. On the sidelines was Lucas Silvestre, as Dorival Júnior is serving a suspension. Silvestre commented on the team's attitude from the start of the match and the difficulty they faced under pressure from their rivals.

“Our attitude from the beginning of the game, especially in the first half, was far below what we have been producing, below how we’ve been playing. The result is less about the tactical approach and more about energy, determination, and areas where we fell short. It’s a painful moment, but we have to understand and live with what happened.” Silvestre began, in a press conference.

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Due to the FIFA international break, Corinthians had a week and a half free for training and rest, which raised expectations for their return, especially after the victory over Mirassol in the previous round.

“The preparation for the game was done, which makes it even harder to explain. The preparation was carried out as it should have been. The players were warned about what Santos would bring, about a game of duels, commitment, and energy. We showed them the data that Santos’s first half is one of intense pressure, that we would have little time and space.” he added.

The biggest difference in the game was in the first half, when Santos opened the scoring in the opening moments from a corner kick. Midway through the first half, Barreal fired a shot from outside the box and found the top corner. The pressure continued until the referee blew the whistle for halftime.

“Credit and congratulations to the opponent, who played a great game. Technically, we were not as assertive as in recent matches, which made it harder for us to get out, we couldn’t find the free men. The pressure Santos put on us made things difficult, and as time went by, it took us out of the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the spaces that the game was offering. When your energy is low and you’re not assertive, it’s hard to build and find the best options.” said the assistant coach.

Corinthians’ next match is on Saturday, the 18th, again in the Brasileirão, starting at 9 p.m. (Brasília time). The match is against Atlético-MG, at Neo Química Arena, in a direct clash in the second match of the table.

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