On home soil, Corinthians have won everything there is to win, but now the Brazilian giants are ready for another challenge.
On Wednesday, they will take on Gotham FC of the United States in the semi-finals of the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™ in London. For head coach Lucas Piccinato, the match represents a historic opportunity to show the world what the Timão project is all about.
“Every match at this club always carries enormous weight, but competing in FIFA’s first [women’s club] intercontinental competition has an even greater significance”, he said. “We want to leave here with a big result, to shock the world, because I think most people probably see Gotham and Arsenal as the favourites, given their financial muscle.
“We want to show our quality, the Brazilian football we play, and to come away with a major title. I believe this could be the greatest achievement in the history of Corinthians.”
The winner of the clash between Corinthians and Gotham will face the victors of the other semi-final – between Arsenal and ASFAR – in the final on 1 February.
“We have to be mentally ready for every duel, ready to play a 100-minute match at a different intensity to what we’re used to in Brazil”, says the Corinthians head coach.
“We must be prepared for every scenario the game can throw at us, whether we go ahead, fall behind or it remains goalless, handling all the mental battles within the match. Coming up with a good strategy and being mentally strong are equally important.”
Confidence is one thing, understanding the scale of the challenge is another. Even so, Piccinato wants his squad to be fully aware of the privilege of what lies ahead. Experiencing something unprecedented, he believes, can push the players to reach their optimum levels.
“It’s a challenge that takes us out of our comfort zone, but at the same time it’s a joy to experience all of this.” he said. “Facing top teams from different continents makes us want to bring out the very best in ourselves.”
Though it has not always been easy – they had to go through a penalty shoot-out to win their latest South American final – Corinthians arrive in London as serial winners. Since 2017, they have claimed a staggering seven Brazilian league titles and six CONMEBOL Libertadores triumphs.
Given their glittering recent history, it is unsurprising that Piccinato states on more than one occasion their ambition is to win the title.
He added: “It will certainly be a magical experience, one in which we can learn, live, win, and work in the best possible way to leave here with a major trophy.”
Piccinato also highlighted the importance of the club’s supporters.
“Corinthians fans have kept us going throughout this journey,” he said. “They’ve travelled across the continent, filled stadiums and broken attendance records time and again. I’m sure we’ll have many supporters behind us in these special, unique moments.”
