Raniele hails goal, end of hoodoo and Corinthians response to fan pressure | OneFootball

After Corinthians’ 2-0 win over Independiente Santa Fé in the second round of the Copa Libertadores group stage, defensive midfielder Raniele gave an interview and addressed different topics, from his relationship with the fans after recent protests to adapting to coach Fernando Diniz’s style of play. Author of one of the goals in the match, the player highlighted the importance of this moment in rebuilding the team’s confidence and reinforced the squad’s commitment to getting back to winning ways.

When commenting on the fans’ recent criticism and how he handled the situation at the training center, Raniele showed maturity and stressed that he understands the supporters’ stance, reinforcing that it did not affect his relationship with the club or with the stands.

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“Man, criticism is normal. I think the fans have every right to demand more. I think Gustavo was spot on in what he said. At no point did I think about driving off in my car and leaving anyone behind. The moment they asked me to stop, I stopped, rolled down my window, and listened to what they had to say. I know that if I had said anything there, it wouldn’t have changed anything, it wouldn’t have made any difference at all, because fans act out of passion, out of emotion”, Raniele began in the mixed zone.

“I knew the criticism was going to come, that it was going to happen. There was no problem at all. It didn’t change even 1% of my relationship with the fans, with anyone. I still love the Corinthians fans, and I’ll defend the Corinthians shirt in the same way. I think it was important for me to score this goal at this moment, and I’m happy about that, but I think the fans are going to act this way. I hope it doesn’t happen again, not because they shouldn’t do it, but because we don’t give them a reason to. I hope we can put together a run where we get good results and this doesn’t happen again”, he continued.

The midfielder also detailed the goal he scored and celebrated the end of a curious negative streak: whenever he found the net, Corinthians did not win. Raniele even revealed a light-hearted conversation with teammates during the match before the victory was confirmed.

“Gustavo (Henrique) is a guy who draws a lot of attention inside the box, and we knew that. He pulled in two or three markers there. From the moment the ball went to him, I knew I was going to be free, because defenders usually leave their marker in that situation, so I knew the ball would come loose there. He managed to touch it into the area and I managed to score”, the midfielder commented.

“About the ‘jinx,’ I even mentioned it to Breno on the bench. We had come off and it was still 1-0, and I said to him, man, I’ve got something to say, but I’m only going to say it after the game ends. Then Gustavo made it 2-0 and I said, ‘I had never scored in a game we won.’ Thank God it was already the 38th minute of the second half, they weren’t going to equalize here. So thank God I was able to score this goal, we were able to win, I was able to break that ‘jinx,’ and I hope more and more goals and even more wins come for Corinthians”, he continued.

Another point addressed was adapting to Fernando Diniz’s style of play, which demands greater involvement in building from the back. Raniele acknowledged that the process involves risks and mistakes, but valued the confidence shown by the coach.

“Of course, it totally makes sense to feel nervous. He says we don’t have to take too much risk either, that if there’s no chance to play out from the back, if it’s difficult, just send the ball forward and we go for the second ball. But he really is a guy who demands that we play out from there. I even said it there, man, today despite the goal, despite winning the game, I still got a lot of things wrong — not just me, the whole team — but I still got a lot of things wrong, and I repeat: I’m going to make mistakes again, I’m going to make more mistakes because I’m going to be there, I’m going to put myself in those situations to try to play out from the back”, said the No. 14.

“Diniz is a guy who never once demanded that I control the ball and nutmeg someone or make a fancy backheel cut. He never demanded that from me. Every time he demanded something from me, it was courage. I hope he keeps demanding that, keeps encouraging me to put myself in those situations, and I have the courage to play. I’m going to show up there more often, I’m going to make more mistakes, it’s going to happen, you’re going to see plays where I make mistakes. I hope it doesn’t lead to a goal, but I’m going to put myself in that situation, and I hope I can understand his ideas in the best possible way so I can help the team as a whole”, he added.

Finally, Raniele highlighted the importance of the home win, especially given the team’s recent run without victories at Neo Química Arena, and projected a positive run with the support of the fans, both in the Libertadores and in the Brazilian Championship.

“This win, because it was in the Libertadores, because it was at home, because of how long it had been since we won at home, I think it’s important. I hope that from now on we can use this synergy between the fans and the players so that we can have a pact here, so that no one comes here and takes points off us. So I think it’s important for us to make home advantage count, especially in the Libertadores, and also in the Brazilian Championship, which is a competition where we need to make up ground. I hope we can understand things in the best possible way and make the most of these moments so we can bring joy to our fans”, the midfielder concluded.

Now, next Saturday (18), at 8 p.m. Brasília time, Alvinegro will visit Vitória at Barradão Stadium in a match valid for the 12th round of the national tournament. Timão will look to win after eight games in the competition, as they currently sit only 16th with 11 points — two wins, five draws, and four defeats — with eight goals scored and 11 conceded.

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