Corinthians wait on Martínez, no set date for his return

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Central do Timão

·31. Januar 2026

Corinthians wait on Martínez, no set date for his return

By Henrique Vigliotti and Larissa Beppler/ Central da Timão Editorial Team

The midfielder José Martínez has not yet returned to Corinthians in the 2026 season due to bureaucratic issues related to his passport, which has still not been issued. This situation has caused discomfort within the coaching staff, and the Venezuelan was mentioned by Dorival Jr. as one of the main concerns of the football department.

The Central do Timão report found that Martínez only applied for a new passport on January 13, as the previous document had no space for new travel records. It is important to note that, according to the protocol for the new documentation, there is no defined deadline for the passport issuance.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

Internally, Corinthians has changed its stance upon understanding that the problem was not caused by the athlete, but by the political situation in the country, which prevented the player from traveling from Maracaibo, his hometown, to Caracas, where the documents are issued.

A clear sign of this change is that the previous scenario, which foresaw a penalty of around 40% of the midfielder's salary, is being reevaluated. The application of a sanction is no longer considered certain, and both Marcelo Paz and Osmar Stabile understand that it is necessary to calm the situation and have the Venezuelan join the team as soon as possible.

While he has not returned to Brazil, Martínez continues to train remotely. The club has sent the player a specific schedule of activities for him to perform his work from a distance.

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