Alexi Stival, also known as Cuca, made his debut with a 3-1 defeat by Brasileirão on a Corinthians visit to Goiás. He was hired by the club after the dismissal of Fernando Lázaro last week.
But it is not for sporting reasons that the manager is in the eye of the storm and his resignation is being called for from various sides. As reported by Globo, the former player of the Brazilian National Team, Vampeta, the president of Corinthians, Duilio Monteiro Alves, would have had a talk with Cuca about this possibility.
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Faced with this version, the Corinthians coach came out at the crossroads: “That is not true, I am already preparing for the next match,” said the technical director who is involved in a scandal over a case of sexual violence.
The case
The case in question dates back to 1987 and was registered in Switzerland with three other players when Cuca was a Gremio footballer. Cuca was questioned in court on the subject and denied having touched the girl, 13 years old at the time, and the case is still ongoing. For its part, Corinthians supports the coach and defends his innocence and claims to have investigated and consulted on the case prior to making him official as the institution’s manager.
Players from the Corinthians women’s squad reportedly rejected the hiring from the outset and affirm that with these actions, everything that is advanced day by day is going back. During the weekend several athletes spread the phrase “Respect the Girls” (Respeita as Minas) so used in Brazil, criticizing that it is not just a phrase but that it is a feeling and an idea of rejection of this type of situation.
Cuca, in his defense, has denied any involvement with the case. During his presentation at Corinthians, he said: “This is a case that occurred 37 years ago, I have a vague memory. In that memory, a girl went up to the room I was with three other players, because it was a double room. This is my part in the case, I’m totally innocent, I didn’t do anything. People say there was a rape. There was a sexual act with a vulnerable woman.”
“There may be protests or whatever, but nothing is greater than the desire to be here,” said Cuca.
“I will go over everything, protest. If you don’t have a protest, the better. But today I am Corinthians”, continued the coach. “Having health and peace, you are calm. And today I sleep peacefully.”
