Defender starts for Corinthians for the first time since late September

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Central do Timão

·9. November 2025

Defender starts for Corinthians for the first time since late September

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians faced Ceará on the afternoon of this Sunday (9th) at the Neo Química Arena, in a match valid for the 33rd round of the Brazilian Championship, and was defeated 1-0. With this setback, the Alvinegro dropped to 13th place with 42 points (11 wins, nine draws, and 13 losses).

In today’s match, defender André Ramalho started in place of the young João Pedro Tchoca, who had been on his longest streak of games for Corinthians (6), and returned to the starting lineup for the first time since September 21, when the Alvinegro was beaten by Sport 1-0 at Ilha do Retiro, in the 25th round of the Brazilian Championship.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

At the end of September, the number 5 suffered a strain in the hamstring of his right thigh during one of the team’s training sessions and was sidelined for just over a month. On October 25, in the 1-0 win over Vitória at Estádio do Barradão, in the 30th round, the defender returned to action, coming on late in the match when the team was already a man down – Breno Bidon had been sent off.

Against Ceará, Ramalho played the full 90 minutes and accumulated the following stats, according to Sofascore, a sports statistics app: 1/1 tackles won, six clearances, 3/5 ground duels won, 2/4 aerial duels won (50%), 114 actions with the ball, one key pass, 92/100 accurate passes (92%), 46/48 accurate passes in his own half (98%), 46/52 accurate passes in the opponent’s half (92%), and 3/4 accurate long balls (75%).

In 2025, he has played 39 games, and André Ramalho has fluctuated in performance, starting the season as a substitute under then-coach Ramón Díaz. Later, with the arrival of coach Dorival Júnior, the defender regained his starting spot, although he missed the last few weeks due to injury.

In a press conference, coach Dorival Júnior explained his choice of André Ramalho as a starter instead of João Pedro Tchoca, who had been on a run of games with standout performances: “I think, first of all, we think a lot about the player’s recovery from one match to the next. The second point is that André, when he left, was the team’s starter. I wouldn’t do anything different if it were Tchoca, the starter, who left due to injury and returned at the first opportunity. I think you have to be consistent and correct in your actions.”

“And the main thing is that it was a match where Ceará would certainly sit deep, and we would need to find passes between the lines that would give us the chance to break through the opponent’s initial block. André provides that. For today’s game, André’s characteristics would have fit very well if we had been inspired this afternoon and evening, which didn’t happen,” he said.

Since arriving at Corinthians in the middle of last year, after building his entire career in Europe, playing in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands, André Ramalho has played 68 games in the Corinthians shirt (60 as a starter), with 30 wins, 19 draws, and 19 losses – just over 53% success rate. He has also scored one goal and provided one assist.

The defender was a starter during the team’s surge in the 2024 Brasileirão, leaving the relegation zone and securing a spot in the Pre-Libertadores – seventh place with 56 points. He was also part of the squad that won the 2025 state championship, defeating Palmeiras in the final.

Now, André Ramalho and the rest of Corinthians prepare for the team’s next commitment, which will only take place after the FIFA break. On November 20, at 7:00 pm (Brasília time), Corinthians will host São Paulo at the Neo Química Arena for the 34th round of the Brasileirão.

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