Duda Sampaio: Corinthians “in a different place”, eyes final

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Central do Timão

·5 Desember 2025

Duda Sampaio: Corinthians “in a different place”, eyes final

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians secured a spot in the final of the Women's Paulista Championship by defeating São Paulo 2-1 at Neo Química Arena. After the match, midfielder Duda Sampaio, who scored the first goal, analyzed the team's moment following the victory. The player, who recently returned from the Brazilian National Team, spoke about the differences compared to last season, the physical evolution of the squad, the challenges of the calendar, and the support from the fans, even at a time considered less favorable for a female audience.

“I think a lot has changed. Last year, it's my feeling, we arrived at the final quite worn out, I think the group itself felt it. I felt that, and today we are in a different moment, coming out of the Copa do Brasil, that was something that (hurt) me, I said ‘I really want the Paulista’ and I think everyone is in that same mindset. We know it will be tough, we learned a lot from the last final, we played a very good first half, the first game here at Neo Química Arena, and the second game was not good. So these are things we experienced, we learned, and we hope to do things differently now.”, Duda began in the mixed zone of the stadium.

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Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

The midfielder also spoke about the tight schedule of women's football in 2024. For her, the delay in the start of competitions impacted the accumulation of matches at the end of the year, which increased the squad's physical load. Even so, Duda highlighted the evolution of the sport in the country and praised the work of the health and physical preparation teams at the clubs, which have been essential for the athletes' recovery and performance.

“I think it's difficult to fit everything in, right? Now with more competitions, I think what weighed a bit was that the start of the competitions was delayed by a month, which pushed everything to the end. I think there's still a lot to improve, but we are very grateful for everything that has happened, for the evolution of women's football here in Brazil. And I think it's also important to highlight the quality of the professionals at each club, for recovering the athletes, that's also very important for us to be able to play.”, commented the number 27.

Duda also commented on the physical wear of the players in the semifinal, especially in the second half. According to her, feeling cramps in high-intensity games is normal, but Corinthians' strong bench made a difference in keeping the team strong until the end. The substitutions, according to the number 7, were fundamental to maintaining the pace and changing the course of the match.

“I think it's normal to feel cramps, I think Andressa felt it a bit more. But, regardless, we have a very strong bench so that in these moments we are better than our opponents, having a very strong relief, and that's very important. And I think that was fundamental today as well, we made the changes, we managed to come in well and make a difference in the game.”, evaluated Duda Sampaio.

The midfielder also commented on the crowd present at Neo Química Arena. For her, the match time — later than usual — may have influenced the attendance, especially since the audience is mostly made up of families, women, and children. Even so, Duda valued the support coming from the stands and said she hopes the final will be scheduled for a more accessible time.

“I believe so, right (the time affected the attendance). The female audience is a bit different, we see a lot of children, families, women, and the time is very late, but I think it's step by step. We're grateful to have a later game too, for us it was good because it gave us more time to rest, but these are things we talk about, that we seek to improve throughout the year, and I hope the federation sees this. Not just now, but for next year as well, we can have more competitions as we will, but also a more balanced calendar. I think even with the difficulty, with the timing, we could count on them here, they gave a lot of support and we hope the final will be at a good time so we can fight here.”, pointed out the midfielder.

Finally, Duda spoke about her recent experience with the Brazilian National Team and the warm reception from Corinthians fans in Portugal. She said that the Women's Club World Cup, which will be held for the first time in 2025, will be a milestone for Corinthians and an unforgettable moment for all the athletes involved.

“I joke that there are Corinthians fans everywhere, and having that celebration there (in Portugal, at the National Team game) was special. I think the World Cup will be something unforgettable for Corinthians and for every athlete who is there. And we hope that during this period we can also prepare well. Of course, wherever we are, we hope there will be fans and that makes a big difference.”, she concluded.

With the victory in the Majestoso, Corinthians now prepares to face Palmeiras in the final of the Women's Paulista Championship. The Brabas will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home. The matches are initially scheduled for the 7th, at 11am (Brasília time), and the 14th, at 10am (Brasília time).

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