Fernando Diniz hails Corinthians’ defending, wants more goals after win | OneFootball

After the 2-0 win over Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia at Neo Química Arena, in the second round of the Copa Libertadores group stage, head coach Fernando Diniz gave a press conference and detailed the work being carried out at Corinthians.

When commenting on training sessions and the team’s development, the coach highlighted the initial focus on the defensive system, the use of videos, the gradual implementation of new ideas, and set-piece work.

Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images

“I’ve been working on everything you can imagine, even with little time. A lot of video work. Right now, we’re prioritizing the defensive side, and little by little adding some ideas about playing closer together, which I think you could see more today than in the other matches. And set pieces were where we made a few more adjustments, although they already had a very good set-piece repertoire before I arrived here,” Diniz began.

“So I’m making the most of the good work that was left here, both by Ramon Diaz and Dorival. We’ve been working intensely; every minute we’re working on something, and the players have accepted it very well. It’s a team that is very hungry, very eager to grow and learn new things. I think that has been the most positive point, this willingness to absorb what I have to teach. I also really want to communicate and build relationships with the players quickly, so things can flow in a positive way”, he continued.

Fernando Diniz also spoke about the atmosphere at Neo Química Arena and his relationship with the fans, emphasizing his personal connection with the club and the region. The coach celebrated the opportunity to have the Fiel on his side after facing Timão as an opponent on several occasions.

“My smile says it all, right? It’s really good. Playing here is difficult. The fans are different; the energy in the stadium is different, and we have to make that more and more our own in this symbiosis with the fans, so that it becomes deeper and deeper and so that we represent Corinthians supporters more and more: going for it, fighting, never giving up. These are things I carry in my life for the players, for my children, in my home. So I’ve always had this affinity with this place here”, Diniz said.

“So, for me, it’s a reason for great joy to be here at Corinthians. Very happy. I feel very much a part of all this. As I said, I’m a guy originally from the East Zone. My whole life is from the East Zone. So, I’m 52 years old, 52 years in the East Zone, on the outskirts, and later, when things got better, in Tatuapé. I know very well what the region where Corinthians was created is like, I know the club’s history. And for me it’s very rewarding. It’s emotional to be here. I confess that in the Palmeiras match, when I walked in and saw the stadium like that, I got emotional”, he added.

About the team’s offensive struggles and the need to increase the number of goals in matches, the coach assessed the team’s performance and highlighted its recent improvement, while still valuing defensive solidity.

“It’s something for us to analyze. I think today, although we had a little fewer shots than we should have, and I agree with that analysis, we were very aggressive, very dangerous, we started getting a lot of players into the box, with crosses. And from those crosses come corners, which lead to goals”, he pointed out.

“We were always much closer to winning the game than to drawing or losing. And in the second half, even more than in the first. I think that’s a natural trend of the work toward fluidity, which will lead us to score more goals from open play and from more elaborate moves to finish more effectively. I believe that even with the little training time we have. Because it’s train and play. It’s training everything possible in the small space of time we have, making corrections and encouraging the players so we can make those corrections”, the coach continued.

“I agree about the number of goals, we have to increase it. I think the defense was also conceding, and now it’s three matches without allowing a goal. I think that’s fundamental for a team that wants to get to the top, especially in the Brazilian Championship. So we have to start scoring more goals without making the defense worse. On the contrary, improving the defensive repertoire, game after game, so we can be closer to victories”, he concluded.

When discussing tactical and attitude changes in Alvinegro Paulista under his command, Fernando Diniz reinforced that he prioritizes the team’s commitment and courage, with adjustments being made as matches unfold.

“I always repeat what I’m going to answer you. People attribute some tactical things to me. I’m not a guy who… with tactical issues in mind, it’s the opposite. My hallmark is this that Corinthians is showing, the main hallmark of all my work: I’ve had to demand absolute commitment in everything, the desire to win, a team that gains courage to play. And the tactical side, then you read later”, he said.

“Bidon today played part of the time out wide, he and Kayke, part of the time close to the ball, so they played in a varied way, according to what the game was asking for. So that was something we had already been training this week we’ve had for training. Three games in one week and, in training, we were positioning and showing how we could play a little better against more defensive lines like in today’s match, which was something that could happen”, Diniz continued.

“So, when Bidon goes wide and Kayke too, it’s a way of giving a little more width, having a few more crosses, speed, and a good number of players arriving in the box. Corinthians is already a team that has been playing in an associative way since last year and has a very elaborate game through the middle. In today’s match, it was a game that called for a little more play down the flanks. I think we managed to vary things. Obviously there’s still a lot missing, but I think the repertoire improved”, he added.

The coach also commented on the club’s political environment and the need to shield the squad, while welcoming new members of the structure, especially former goalkeeper and now football manager Julio César.

“So, we manage the external issue, we don’t manage the internal. Internally, which is what we need to manage, I think things are going very well. There’s a group of people led by Marcelo. Now Julio has arrived here. Welcome to our… Great former goalkeeper, champion with Corinthians, and we’re very happy he joined us. Tiago, Julio, all the CT staff. So we have to try to shield and manage what we are able to manage. On the outside, we’ll never have control. But we can control what we’re doing inside, regardless of what happens outside. The team feels protected and shielded so we can handle what we need to handle and get good results on the field”, said the coach.

Regarding the play that led to André Luiz’s sending-off in the derby against Palmeiras, Diniz came to the player’s defense. In the Derby, the midfielder was sent off after the referee went to VAR and concluded that the player had made an obscene gesture.

“Just to clarify: when I saw the image, I didn’t think he made that gesture. In fact, I asked him and he said, ‘I didn’t do it.’ I think it’s good for us to say this, because he’s a kid, and his character, you’re going to follow André’s career, and most likely his career will show that he’s not a player prone to bad behavior. The player’s arm hit near the genital area and he put his hand there, but it wasn’t to provoke anyone”, the coach stated.

“So, there are several frames, because I really trust what he said and that was the impression I got from the image. He doesn’t make an offensive gesture toward anyone, that’s not his behavior. He’s a boy worth his weight in gold. He doesn’t talk back. Discreet, with a brilliant future ahead. It’s good for us to protect him. If he had done it, I would never be here talking to you like this. Because it’s good to protect him, because when you do something like that, you deserve to be restrained and called out. You have to know how to deal with it”, he continued.

“So I ask you to take into consideration this story I’m telling, because, in fact, I’d bet my life on what he told the president today. He is humble, he never cried, he was embarrassed to go argue with the referee or have a more explosive reaction”, he concluded.

Asked about a possible drop in form from the young midfielder, the coach disagreed with that assessment and praised the player’s recent performances. Diniz praised the athlete’s displays under his command.

“I have to disagree with you. I think in Argentina it was a more difficult game, but against Palmeiras, he was having a great game. And I also think he had a beautiful match tonight. I really liked his performance, I think that position is his. He can play in other roles. And I even think, based on what he had been doing in the Corinthians matches I watched, that he improved rather than dropped off. I thought that against Palmeiras, while he was on the field, he did very well. Today I thought he also had a good game”, the coach assessed.

Finally, Fernando Diniz again highlighted the team’s defensive consistency and explained the collective functioning of the system, while also looking ahead to the rest of the season, with a focus on the next Brazilian Championship fixtures.

“I say this a lot to the players: when the defense is breached, we think the defense is the back four, maybe the holding midfielder and the goalkeeper. And the defense hasn’t been breached because there is a great deal of commitment from all 11 players in defense in these three games—I’m only talking about my time, after I arrived here. Maybe the most beautiful image of the game, maybe of all three games, against Palmeiras there were many defensive moments”, the coach said.

“Speaking about today’s match. The most beautiful image of today’s game was at the end of the match, the corner that was ours. In 4 or 5 seconds, Pedro Raul left the box. The opponent was defending. The defensive system is working because of that, because of the collaboration of all the players. In relation to my style, the players are gradually assimilating it and I think the assimilation is happening quickly. I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen in training and in matches”, he continued.

“For me it’s a source of joy. It’s a good thing I’m here now. After all, if Corinthians hadn’t won the Copa do Brasil, we wouldn’t even be talking today. So, for me, it’s a reason for great joy to have this recent history, but the most important thing now, at this moment, is the game we have against Vitória. We know it’s a very difficult game”, Diniz continued.

“The Brazilian Championship is a marathon of games in which, truly, there are 38 finals. So we have a decisive game this weekend against Vitória, very little time to train. A demanding match; we played against Palmeiras a little more than 72 hours ago. And we also had to work very hard today to win this game. We’ll have less than 72 hours to play against Vitória, with fatigue and travel. It’s always difficult to play at Barradão. It’s a different pitch and a very strong team”, he 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 seek a win after eight matches in the competition, as it sits only 16th with 11 points — two wins, five draws and four defeats — 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.