Crespo jokes about Ceni’s prediction, hails Rodriguinho’s rise | OneFootball

Midfielder Rodriguinho was given another opportunity among the starters for São Paulo in the defeat to Cruzeiro last Saturday at Mineirão. Becoming increasingly established in the professional squad, the youngster has shown improvement under coach Hernán Crespo, who did not hold back his praise.

“I’m very happy with Rodriguinho’s progress because he works very hard. He’s doing things very well, I’m happy for him. He deserves for you all to speak highly of him, because he already knows what we think,” the Argentine highlighted in a press conference.

“I think it’s the right time to talk about him, because I also felt what Rogério Ceni said [laughs]. I’ve known him since before, when he arrived from Cotia, we promoted him and Pablo Maia. I’m very happy that he can confirm the truths Ceni spoke about. We need to give him confidence,” he added.

Crespo’s comments refer to a ‘prediction’ made by Rogério Ceni in 2022, when the idol was still in charge of São Paulo. At the time, the current Bahia coach said he saw Rodriguinho established in the professional team and highlighted the youngster’s talent.

“Rodriguinho is a player who will play for São Paulo. Listen to what I’m saying. He’s talented, he’s being developed. He’s a good player, a good kid. He has a future at São Paulo. We have nothing to complain about. He’s a boy who I think has a brilliant future,” Ceni said in a press conference on July 31, 2022.

Against Cruzeiro, Rodriguinho was one of São Paulo’s main standouts alongside goalkeeper Rafael. According to Sofascore data, the midfielder completed 88% of his attempted passes, took two shots close to goal, completed two dribbles, and contributed two key passes.

Under Crespo’s command at Tricolor, the midfielder has already accumulated 11 matches, six as a starter, and two assists. In total, he has 20 games and one goal in 2025.

The importance of opportunities for Cotia’s youngsters

Rodriguinho is just one of the young talents revealed at Cotia who have been Crespo’s bets amid São Paulo’s numerous absences this season. Against Cruzeiro, for example, Pablo Maia and Patryck started in midfield and at left wing, respectively.

Since his arrival at Tricolor, Crespo has made it clear that he would pay special attention to São Paulo’s youth academy. The coach reunited with more mature players whom he himself helped integrate into the professional squad during his first stint in 2021.

The Argentine coach emphasized the importance of giving the youngsters minutes in high-pressure matches, as was the case against Cruzeiro. Another example was the match against Sport, when Tricolor, with several youngsters on the field, came back to draw 2-2 at Ilha do Retiro.

“They deserve it, they work very well. We just need to give them confidence so they can show the public they deserve it. Because I know. Four years ago, I spoke about Patryck, Pablo Maia, Rodriguinho. And now I find them more mature, more confident. It’s a chance to let them play and try to compete with the others, because São Paulo is a big club. Many athletes want to come to São Paulo, so it’s not easy,” said the coach.

With this result, São Paulo’s eight-game unbeaten streak (six wins and two draws) in the Brasileirão came to an end. The Tricolor from São Paulo remains in seventh place, with 32 points, and missed the chance to at least spend the night in the G6. Despite the setback, the team’s good performance and the opportunities given to the youngsters should be valued.

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