Corinthians Under-20 coach analyzes defeat in Derby by the Brasileirão and comments on the use of the professional's duo

- By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial

During the afternoon of last Wednesday (8), Corinthians hosted Palmeiras, at the Alfredo Schürig Stadium, Fazendinha, in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, and ended up being defeated by the score of 1 x 0. With the result, Timão will need to win by at least one goal difference in the second game to lead to penalties. If you want to advance correctly, you will have to beat your rival by two or more goals.

Soon after the match, coach William Batista, from Timãozinho, gave an interview to the press in the mixed zone of Fazendinha, and analyzed the result, highlighting that nothing has been decided for the return game. The commander also cited the drop of midfielder Dieguinho (18 years old) and striker Gui Negão (19 years old), both Sons of Terrão who are already integrated into the professional squad, who had not played in the category since July and May 2025, respectively.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

"We knew it was a difficult game, a classic in which we could achieve good things, even due to the decline of Dieguinho and Gui (Negão). I think the first half reflected this a little, we managed to have more of the ball than during the championship. We managed to build some combined plays, a little less in the direct game, which we ended up using more throughout the year. From then on we created some scoring chances in the first half. I think more pre-chances than even chances clear goals."

William Batista also spoke about the team's performance as a visitor in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship as one of the reasons to believe in the classification. So far, there have been five wins, three draws and just one defeat. The return match will take place on the 16th, Thursday, at 3pm (Brasília time), at Arena Barueri.

"I think everything is open. The result of 1-0, a simple victory for us there takes the decision to penalties. And a victory by two goals puts us in a direct classification. We were the second best visitor in the championship, I think the campaign away from home was spectacular. We will play on the synthetic field, but also in the championship we played three or four games on synthetic: Bahia, Cruzeiro and Botafogo. These were games in which we did very well on a field that we will play on Thursday. We are prepared and ready. As Renato Paiva said last year at the Club World Cup: 'the football cemetery is full of favorites'. So we are ready for the second game, to play a great match and deserve to qualify in the second round", he began.

Later, he was asked about the presence of the duo Dieguinho and Gui Negão in the second game of the quarter-final knockout. Next Sunday (12), at 4pm (Brasília time), the Corinthians main team takes the field to face FC Cascavel, in Paraná, in a friendly match. Officially, Alvinegro will return to action on July 23rd, at 7:30 pm, at Neo Química Arena, against Remo, to close the first round of the Brazilian Championship. Timão currently occupies tenth place in the national tournament with 24 points - six wins, six draws and six defeats - 18 goals scored and 19 conceded.

"We (technical committees) have been thinking together. This has been really cool on the part of Diniz, Marcelo Paz, Damiani, who is our director at the base. It's cool because it's just one Corinthians. I think it's cool when the club manages to mobilize around the professional, the under-20, as it has been. Corinthians benefits from this, everyone is strong. It will be decided. This decision has to be made on a daily basis, according to the needs of the Diniz. I want to give him the necessary importance here too, because he is a guy who has helped us a lot. He and Paz have helped us a lot, they have been thinking a lot about the under-20s. We also have Portuguesa in the Campeonato Paulista, on Sunday. And it's important for us to have a good game to have a good score and stay at the top of the Campeonato Paulista", he continued.

Afterwards, the Filhos do Terrão coach spoke about the confusion in one of the changes in the final stage, when midfielder Luiz Gustavo Bahia should have left the pitch instead of midfielder Gui Amorim for Luiz Fábio 'Favela' to enter.

"We gave the number and ended up getting the wrong plate. Even very similar to what happened in our rival's game at our stadium. It was even very similar at the time. It ended up that Amorim left quickly and he wasn't supposed to leave, Bahia was supposed to leave. But it's part of it. It is not possible to highlight too much, to somatize this aspect too much. It wasn't an exchange that was supposed to be made, but it ended up happening. And it's not in our hands."

Finally, William Batista commented on aspects that the Corinthians team must change to face Palmeiras in the second match of the knockout phase: "I wouldn't say the main change, because if the guys listen, they will know what it is. Corinthians will come in to win the game, we need to win the game. They have a result by a goal difference and a draw and we are going to come in to play the game, try to win the game. Everything is open, today's game showed that everything is open. They won 1-0, it could have been us who came out on top. A goal decided in a detail such as a classic and a knockout. So, everything is open and we go into the second game, knowing what we need to do. And so, our rival's celebration, the way they lowered the block in the last five minutes, says a lot about their respect for us at that moment. They know that any mistake could put them out of the championship and classify us."

After facing Palmeiras, at home, in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Brasileirão U20, Timão returns to focus on the first phase of the Campeonato Paulista in the category. Next Sunday (12), at 10 am (Brasília time), Alvinegro visits Portuguesa, Estádio Municipal Salvador Russani, in Atiabia, São Paulo, for the fifth round of the initial stage of the state championship. At the moment, Alvinegro is second in Group 1 with 10 points - four goals scored and zero conceded.

The post Corinthians Under-20 coach analyzes defeat in Derby by the Brasileirão and comments on the use of the professional's duo first appeared on Central do Timão.

The Corinthians Under-20 Technical content analyzes the defeat in the Derby by the Brasileirão and comments on the use of the professional's duo appears first in Central do Timão.

Source: Timao Central