Grêmio look to banish lapses before Gre-Nal 450 | OneFootball

Grêmio arrive at Gre-Nal 450 with a recurring problem to fix, brief blackouts that shaped their last two derby defeats. Those short lapses, flagged by their own coaches, are the focus as the Gauchão final begins.

According to Globo.com, the most recent setback came in January’s group stage at Beira-Rio, a 4-2 loss in which three goals were conceded in nine minutes. Borré struck on 28 and 30 minutes, then Bernabei added a third on 36, leaving Luís Castro to prioritise the squad’s mental reset and insist on greater stability beyond pre-season.

Ten months earlier, Gustavo Quinteros said Gre-Nal 445 slipped away inside 15 minutes in the first leg of the 2025 final at the Arena. Inter scored twice in four minutes, Carbonero on 22 and Alan Patrick on 25, and the 2-0 defeat, in his view, ended their hopes of the title.

Between those derbies, the sides met three times, drawing 1-1 twice, one of them in the 2025 final won by Inter. Grêmio also won 3-2 at Beira-Rio in September last year under Mano Menezes.

Grêmio are back in the Gauchão final, again opening at the Arena. With pre-season over, Castro believes both teams arrive in better condition 35 days after Clássico 449, and the recent defeats offer clear lessons for Sunday’s first leg from 18:00.

Source: Globo.com