Crespo admits São Paulo's struggles, still backs his squad | OneFootball

Coach Hernán Crespo was far from satisfied with São Paulo’s 3-0 defeat to Mirassol in the 29th round of the Brazilian Championship, at Estádio Campos Maia. The coach acknowledged that the club is going through a “delicate” moment in the season, but said he fully trusts the squad to bounce back.

“It’s a delicate moment for us, because it’s a time when things aren’t working out. I think we need to do some soul-searching, a bit of self-criticism, but I think it’s about continuity, believing and trusting in this group. Yes, we’re losing those centimeters we used to have to be more aggressive. I also think that, for example, in today’s match, you can’t concede after just one minute. There were two penalties we could have had as well. This isn’t about tactics or strategy. We need to commit to becoming that unpleasant, dangerous, aggressive team again, while respecting our identity. We have a pact now. Because we have a clear identity, São Paulo will play this way. I continue to believe and fully trust these players. Because they are the same athletes who made us believe in the possibility of playing in the Libertadores when we arrived, when all anyone talked about was relegation,” Crespo emphasized.

São Paulo suffered their third consecutive defeat in the Brasileirão this Sunday. In addition, the Tricolor is on a terrible run, with seven losses in their last eight matches. Crespo, therefore, highlighted the importance of the squad coming together to pull the team out of this bad phase.

The coach even called for the team to make a new “pact,” like the one made when he first arrived. At that time, the players united and showed strength, stringing together a series of positive results to steer São Paulo away from the threat of relegation.

“We need to go back to doing what we were doing. Not a centimeter less, but more. Because we are the same people, the same athletes, and the same staff who turned things around in the season when the outlook was bleak. Now, the thinking is ‘Ah, what a shame, at the moment when we have a chance to reach the Libertadores, there’s doubt.’ But it’s the same staff, the same athletes. I continue to believe and fully trust the group. We’ll come back, because the path is clear. São Paulo will play this way. Is it a tough moment, are the results not coming? Yes, it’s true. Honestly, I didn’t think the result against Palmeiras would be like that, so hard to accept. But it happened, so we have to solve the problems and make the pact we made when we were fighting against relegation. When everyone gave their all, when everyone looked in the mirror and knew what to do. Right now, things aren’t working out. Maybe we need to do even more for things to return to normal. But if you expect me to criticize or analyze against the players or come here and find scapegoats… we know what we need to improve,” said the coach.

Crespo shares responsibility with players

Despite having done some soul-searching, Crespo also believes that the coaching staff shares responsibility for performances and results with the players. The coach even sees the need for a bit of self-criticism from everyone involved in the process of turning the season around.

“What matters to me is a bit of self-criticism, from all of us, the staff. Are we doing everything as before? Or are we giving a little less? Not much, just a little less? We have to give our all, and with that we have to aim for the Libertadores. When we got here, the standings and the mood were much worse. Now, we’re saying it’s a shame not to reach the Libertadores. We should be proud. And who did that? The players, they’re the same ones. Look them in the eye, look in the mirror, self-criticism. Are we doing the same thing,” he said.

Finally, Crespo reiterated his confidence in the Tricolor squad.

“We continue to believe in the group, because it was this group that gave us hope of reaching the Libertadores. We’ll get back to being compact and do even more than we were doing. It’s a phase. Before, things always worked out, now they don’t. The identity is clear, São Paulo will fight. Right now, we’re missing a centimeter here, a centimeter there, and São Paulo will recover. I fully trust the group. Now it’s easy to speak badly. No. We are the same athletes, the same people. Do we need to improve? Yes,” the Argentine concluded.

Standings

With this result, the crisis at São Paulo continues in this final stretch of the season. The Tricolor suffered their third consecutive defeat and remains stuck in eighth place in the Brasileirão, with 38 points, seeing their Libertadores spot slip further away.

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