Kayke, of Corinthians, makes the best XI of the first Libertadores round | OneFootball

Fernando Diniz’s pick for the Copa Libertadores opener, forward Kayke was included in the Team of the Week for the first round of the continental tournament. The 21-year-old, backed as a starter, scored against Platense in Argentina and paved the way for Corinthians’ victory last Thursday.

Kayke was chosen by Timão’s new coach in the absence of Memphis Depay, who is recovering from a muscle injury in his right thigh. The forward found the net seven minutes into the second half, when he went one-on-one and chipped goalkeeper Matias Borgogno.

According to data from the Sofascore platform, Corinthians’ No. 31 completed three of the four dribbles he attempted, won six of eight duels, made three tackles, and recorded six defensive actions.

The youngster was highly praised by Diniz after the match. “I gathered a lot of information from people at the club, and I think we got it right. He’s a very talented kid, and I hope he can keep up this level. I thought he played well, not just because of the goal. Even in the first half, when we didn’t have much possession, he was very important tactically,” said the coach.

The Team of the Week

Besides Kayke, the Team of the Week for the first round of the Copa Libertadores also features three other players from Brazilian clubs. Center-back João Victor, from Mirassol, was included in defense, while Cruzeiro’s Matheus Pereira was chosen for midfield. Up front, Conmebol selected Flamengo’s Bruno Henrique.

The lineup was set up in a 3-4-3 formation. The full team chosen by Conmebol is as follows: Valle (LDU); João Victor, Coates (Nacional), and Olivera (Santa Fe); Solé (UCV), Paredes (Boca Juniors), Matheus Pereira, and Kayke; Bruno Henrique, Arezo (Peñarol), and Gutiérrez (Junior Barranquilla).

Corinthians’ next matches

Corinthians vs Palmeiras (11th round of the Brasileirão) Date and time: 04/12 (Sunday), at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

Corinthians vs Santa Fe-COL (second round of the Libertadores) Date and time: 04/15 (Wednesday), at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

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