São Paulo Board Calls Players for Meeting After Heavy Defeat

Following a 6-0 defeat to Fluminense at Maracanã, São Paulo’s board scheduled a meeting with the team leaders for the morning’s training session today, set for 10:30 am. The conversation aims to internally analyze the embarrassment and define responsibilities. The atmosphere at the club is one of crisis and dissatisfaction, both on and off the field, raising questions about the season’s planning. For many, the heavy defeat is seen as the final straw in a series of recent events.
Luiz Gustavo’s Outburst and Calls for Accountability
Captain and midfielder Luiz Gustavo didn’t hold back criticism after São Paulo’s poor performance in Rio de Janeiro. He acknowledged the players’ fault but demanded that the board take responsibility as well. ‘The people who need to come and take responsibility. We are here facing the music. This club is too big and deserves a clear plan… The blame is ours, but it’s time to set things straight,’ the player said.
The captain strongly called for a clearer plan for 2026 and emphasized the need for ‘true leadership.’
Football executive Rui Costa spoke a few hours after the match. He admitted that the result was ‘embarrassing’ and apologized to the fans but refrained from fully endorsing Luiz Gustavo’s criticisms solely directed at the board. ‘He (Luiz Gustavo) is right in expressing his frustration. After such a humiliating result, he expressed his frustration. It’s hard for a player of his history to accept this – he mentioned in the dressing room that they will be remembered. So, in the heat of the moment, he said that. We are all responsible; it’s not the time to point fingers, everyone is accountable. Now it’s about acting rationally to intervene. There’s nothing to justify today’s result,’ the official responded.
Rui Costa also revealed that the board has already started planning for 2026 and assured that coach Hernán Crespo will remain in charge.