Corinthians’ relegation: 18 years on this Tuesday | OneFootball

One of the saddest episodes in the history of Corinthians marks its 18th anniversary this Tuesday. On December 2, 2007, after a 1-1 draw with Grêmio at the Estádio Olímpico, Timão was relegated for the first and only time to the Série B of the Brazilian Championship.

In that year, Corinthians finished in the 17th position in the Brasileirão with 44 points, one behind Goiás, which saved itself in the 16th position with 45. Besides Timão, the other three teams that were relegated in 2007 were: América-RN, Juventude, and Paraná.

The reasons for the fall

Off-field factors were decisive for the first relegation in Corinthians' history. The club's partnership with MSI (Media Sports Investment) led Timão to appear in various police reports after some scandals involving the then-president Alberto Dualib.

After several accusations, Dualib "abandoned ship" and resigned in September 2007, but the consequences of his tenure would still harm Corinthians.

Alberto Dualib – (Photo: Acervo / Gazeta Press)

The two decisive rounds

Before the fateful game against Grêmio, Corinthians had the chance to avoid relegation one round earlier, at home, against Vasco. However, Timão lost at Pacaembu by 1-0, with Alan Kardec scoring the goal for Cruzmaltino.

Finally, at the Olímpico, if Timão didn't win, they depended on the result of the game between Goiás and Internacional. Corinthians fell behind after a goal by Jonas but equalized with Clodoaldo. The match ended 1-1, and with Esmeraldino's victory over Colorado, the Alvinegro from Parque São Jorge suffered the first relegation in its history.

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