Zé Rafael backs Vojvoda, predicts Santos revival: "Just a matter of time" | OneFootball

Defensive midfielder Zé Rafael has been one of the players standing out individually under coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda at Santos. Despite showing some improvement, Peixe has fallen short when it comes to results. Zé Rafael highlighted the confidence in the work of the Argentine’s coaching staff and believes in the team’s reaction in the Brazilian Championship.

“We’ve all noticed the team’s evolution since Vojvoda arrived. It’s part of the process; every job has a period before results appear. In football everything is immediate, but we trust the work, what’s been done, and we’ve evolved. It’s a matter of time until the results start to appear. The result will be a consequence of the work we do during the week,” Zé Rafael said before Santos’ training session this Friday.

“The relationship with Vojvoda is very calm, professional; there’s nothing negative to say about him. We’ve already understood his way of working. He provides support, confidence for the player to perform at his best, and at the same time he demands a lot, and that contributes to the team’s evolution, that higher level of demand. He’s a great coach. It’s a matter of time for the process to deliver results,” he continued.

Santos’ situation in the Brasileiro

Santos is in 16th place, with 28 points, three more than Vitória, which sits at the top of the relegation zone. Under Vojvoda, the team suffered its first negative result on Sunday, losing 3–0 to Ceará at Castelão in the last round. With the Argentine in charge, Peixe has four draws, one win, and one loss.

Challenging stretch

After the Fifa international break, Santos will have two important matches: against Corinthians and Vitória. Next month, they’ll have to make up a postponed match and will face a stretch with two games against Palmeiras and one against Flamengo. Zé Rafael emphasized that Peixe treats the matches as finals.

“For us, there’s never been an easy week, regardless of the opponents. Since the start of the year it’s been a challenge. We approach it more seriously because we’re going through a delicate moment, but we’re focused on the process. We know what needs to be done and we’re going to do what we’ve trained and worked on during the matches. This week now, with the Fifa break, allows for more adjustments. Today we have a two-a-day session and we want to get out of this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. We have to treat every match like a final, and that’s how we’ve been preparing,” he said.

Santos’ next match

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