Jesse Lingard backs Corinthians for Libertadores title: “I believe so” | OneFootball

On the night of last Thursday (21), Corinthians drew 1-1 with Peñarol of Uruguay at Estadio Campeón Del Siglo, in a match valid for the fifth round of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores group stage. The goal for the club from Parque São Jorge was scored by attacking midfielder Zakaria Labyad, near the midway point of the second half. The result secured Timão as the leader of Group E with 11 points — three wins and two draws — with eight goals scored and two conceded.

Midfielder Jesse Lingard, who was on the field for 16 minutes after coming on in place of Zakaria Labyad, spoke to reporters in the mixed zone after the match and was asked about Corinthians’ status as one of the favorites in the Conmebol Libertadores. In addition, he analyzed the draw against the Uruguayan team and spoke about adapting to some aspects of South American football (synthetic turf and altitude). Since arriving at the club, he has two goals and one assist in 15 matches. Timão’s number 77 also stressed that he wants Memphis Depay to remain at Parque São Jorge. The Dutchman is under contract until July 20 and his future is still uncertain.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Check out Jesse Lingard’s answers to reporters in Uruguay below:

Is Corinthians one of the favorites to win the Conmebol Libertadores?

“Yes, I believe so. I think we always have that confidence. With the players we have, with the coach we have, with the fans. I think that’s a big objective for us. But we want to do well in every competition. Right now, as I said, we’re not doing very well in the Brasileirão. We’re in the lower part of the table, but we’re working on that. We can improve and work hard in training to deliver the results the fans expect on weekends.”

Desire for Memphis Depay to stay at Corinthians

“Yes, of course. We need the best players to help the team. As I said, he’s working hard to get back to training and help us. Obviously, I don’t know exactly what’s going on internally, but to me he’s a good friend. I still haven’t had the opportunity to play with him. So of course, we need the best players and, as I said, he’s a great player for Corinthians.”

Analysis of the draw against Peñarol-URU in the Libertadores

“Yes, I think Peñarol was always going to be a difficult game, even though we had already qualified. We take every match very seriously and we wanted to win. As I said, we knew it would be difficult, in different conditions from what we’re used to playing in. But I think we did well. It’s always difficult to be leading 1-0 and then concede the equalizer. But we got a point and finished top of the group.”

What it feels like to play in the Conmebol Libertadores

“It’s always incredible to play in the Libertadores. The stadium today was very good, the atmosphere was very good. That gave us a lot of energy, especially at the end. They put a bit of pressure on us, but it’s always an incredible feeling to play football in any competition.”

Adapting to South American football (altitude and synthetic turf):

“It’s been very good. It’s a different experience from what I had in the past. I’m not used to playing at high altitudes. I think I’ve adapted very well to the team and to the coaching staff’s instructions. As I said, the group is working hard. We come out of training exhausted. The team demands a lot from us on the training ground, but we listen, the tactics are working. And we have to keep working hard.”

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