Luís Castro sees progress at Grêmio despite defeat to Fluminense | OneFootball

Coach Luís Castro analyzed Grêmio’s 2-1 defeat to Fluminense in the opening match of the 2026 Brasileirão. According to the coach, the Tricolor Gaúcho delivered a better performance than in the Gre-Nal derby, where the team lost 4-2 in the Gauchão. Castro highlighted that the team gave a stronger response against a Série A rival, although mistakes in the second half cost them the result.

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Regarding the defensive instability, the coach was direct: there has been progress, but the sector is still searching for the ideal balance. “We gave a better response than in the previous match, but it’s still not enough for us to have a fully stable team,” he stated. He emphasized that the focus now is to maintain the fighting spirit shown after conceding the second goal in the match.

Asked about his choices for the squad, Luís Castro responded with irony to the external pressure. According to him, when the goal is not achieved, the players who remained on the bench are often seen as the magical solution. The coach reiterated that the process of building the team is ongoing and that the “chain” of criticism about substitutions is part of the routine in Brazilian football. “It will always be like this,” he pointed out.

Grêmio is now seeking an immediate recovery in the standings to avoid increased pressure at the start of the championship. Castro emphasized that the path to victory lies in maintaining the aggressive attitude seen at the end of the game. The priority will be to correct the lapses in concentration that allowed Fluminense’s goals in a short span. “We conceded two goals that created a lot of problems for us and forced us to chase the result,” he confirmed.

Grêmio’s schedule

Grêmio’s next match will be on Saturday, against Juventude, in the Campeonato Gaúcho. In the Brasileirão, the team faces Botafogo next Wednesday. Both matches will be at the Arena.

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