Corinthians assistant praises attitude, key tactics in Mirassol win

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Central do Timão

·6 octobre 2025

Corinthians assistant praises attitude, key tactics in Mirassol win

By Daniel Keppler / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the evening of this Saturday, the 4th, Corinthians returned to the field for the Brazilian Championship. In a match at Neo Química Arena for the 27th round of the national competition, the Alvinegro hosted Mirassol and, with a solid defensive performance and efficient attack, thrashed them 3-0 in front of 38,000 fans in Itaquera. The goals were scored by Maycon, Yuri Alberto, and André.

With Dorival Júnior suspended, it was up to assistant coach Lucas Silvestre to lead Corinthians from the sidelines. In a press conference, Silvestre made a point to praise Mirassol’s work, giving credit to the opponent. According to the assistant, the entire Timão technical department was aware of the difficulties the match would present and prepared the squad throughout the week to deal with this scenario.

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Photo: Leo Rodrigues/Central do Timão

Silvestre acknowledged that the start of the match was complicated for Corinthians, but noted that after the first goal, the team managed to settle into the game and control the action: “We struggled a bit at the start of the match and, from the moment of the goal, the game settled down. We had to change in the second half, two lines of four, we went back to 4-1-3-2. At the end, after the second goal, we returned to a line of five with Memphis and Yuri further up. We defended well and were effective in attack. In these moments, it’s crucial to suffer little and be objective.”

The positive result against Mirassol ended a streak of three matches without a win and also broke an almost five-month drought without a home victory, as the assistant highlighted. He admitted that, although the team had been performing well in some recent matches, the results weren’t coming, which increased internal pressure.

“We had difficulties in games like against Fortaleza, when we drew at the end. Against Vitória, we had the performance, but not the result. The streak brought pressure, but we worked hard to show the players that the three points were non-negotiable. They understood the importance of the game and responded with energy and determination. Congratulations to the whole group.”

The coach also detailed the defensive adjustments made to counter the opponent’s attack. “Negueba played more open, Reinaldo deeper, which caused us problems at the start. We adjusted with Matheuzinho pressing up front and Tchoca covering the side. We managed to open up the back line more at the end, defend the width, and bring Tchoca closer for cover,” he explained.

The assistant also praised the squad’s ability to adapt the tactical scheme during the match, alternating between a back five and a back four according to the needs of the game, and valued the players’ versatility to fill different roles in the defensive structure. “We work game by game, understanding the opponent and the difficulties. For this match, we made changes and tactical adjustments. The easiest thing at that moment was to organize into two lines,” he pointed out.

Regarding squad options, Silvestre commented on the absence of Talles Magno, who was left out of the squad for not showing the same training rhythm and to “cool his head,” while emphasizing that the player will soon be available again for Dorival for the remainder of the season.

Shirt number 10 Memphis was also mentioned by the assistant, stating that the Dutchman’s return was planned gradually, with adjustments aligned with the physical department and contacts with professionals from the Netherlands national team. Silvestre evaluated Memphis’s performance positively, citing his defensive and offensive contributions, despite having had few training sessions.

Finally, he confirmed that Garro is beginning the physical transition to be reintegrated into the group, and detailed the process of integrating young academy players into the squad: “We think game by game. The important thing is to value the arrival of these boys, who are being prepared and going through the adaptation process. We want to have everyone available to strengthen the group and rotate the squad.”

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