Gremio concluded its participation in the Copa do Brasil last Wednesday (7), after being eliminated on penalties by Corinthians. With one less competition on the horizon, the team from Rio Grande do Sul is now focused on continuing its pursuit in the Brazilian championship and the next phase of the Libertadores.
“We got caught up in the details; unfortunately, they were better. But keep your heads high, we have the Libertadores and Brazil. We are moving forward,” said Tricolor defender Kahneman.
In the battle for a spot in the quarter-finals, Gremio and Corinthians faced each other at Couto Pereira. The match ended in a scoreless draw, and the result was ultimately decided by penalties. While Reynaldo found the back of the net for Gremio, Edenilson, Pavón, and Cristaldo were unable to convert from the spot, while Corinthians’ Hugo Souza stood strong in goal.
With their Copa do Brasil campaign now concluded, Gremio remains active in both the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores. In the national competition, Tricolor occupies 14th place with 21 points, just one point adrift of the Z-4 relegation zone. Their focus now lies on widening the gap with Fluminense and securing their place in the upcoming South American qualification zone.
Coach Renato Gaucho expressed his primary objective for the current season as securing their place in the Brazilian Championship. To achieve this, Gremio will face Cuiabá on Saturday (10) at 7:00 PM (Brazilian time) at the Arena Pantanal.
A victory in this match would lift Gremio to 24 points and potentially secure their place in the South American qualification zone, depending on the results of other matches in the round of 16.
In the Libertadores, Gremio finished second in Group C with 10 points and has advanced to the knockout stage. Their next challenge will be a clash with Fluminense in the first leg of the round of 16, which kicks off next Tuesday (13) at 7:00 PM (Brazilian time) at Couto Pereira.