Dorival values ​​Corinthians' individual growth after qualifying

The 2-0 victory over Athletico-PR , this Wednesday (10/9), guaranteed Corinthians a place in the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil. More than the classification with an aggregate score of 3-0, coach Dorival Júnior made a point of highlighting the transformation of his players as a decisive factor for their performance on the field.

"I'm very pleased with what we've seen from each player individually. The understanding they're having, the concern in wanting to improve. This is a considerable individual gain that is making a collective difference to the team," said the coach, in the press conference held at Neo Química Arena.

Dorival also emphasized that the dedication to training at CT Joaquim Grava has been directly reflected in the games. He believes that taking advantage of opportunities given to young athletes and helping recover players who have fallen behind are factors that have strengthened the squad.

"My satisfaction and pleasure is seeing the individual growth of players. These youngsters are being given opportunities, who perhaps hadn't had the opportunity before, but now they're getting more regular opportunities. This is a differentiator, a project I try to develop in other teams," the coach added.

Dorival sees contrast in the Brasileirão

Despite a flawless run in the Copa do Brasil, with six wins and no goals conceded, Corinthians is experiencing a different situation in the Campeonato Brasileiro. After all, the team has just 26 points from 22 rounds and sits in 12th place.

"We have to improve, we have to grow, and we're aware of that. We have to understand that our position is a problem for us. The team has been improving every moment, becoming more consistent. We have to be aware of the importance of the next six games. We've had few results in the Brasileirão, even though in some games we've played with consistency, volume, and possession. We have to make up for a big loss we've caused ourselves," Dorival acknowledged.

Finally, after being questioned about the discrepancy between the two competitions, the coach admitted the difficulty in finding a clear explanation. However, he reinforced his commitment to keeping the group united.

"It's difficult. If I had the recipe, I would have corrected it and sought results. The team was performing well, playing good football, and suddenly, they weren't getting results. This gave us a feeling of helplessness. We need to keep believing, working, dedicating ourselves, demanding. Trying to get the best out of each of them," he concluded.

With their spot secured, Corinthians now awaits the winner of the match between Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG to find out who they will face in the Copa do Brasil semifinal. Before that, the team turns its attention to the Brasileirão. After all, on Saturday (September 13th), the match will be against Fluminense , at Maracanã, at 9 pm.

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