Joaquim Grava on Corinthians duo injuries and Arena pitch impact | OneFootball

On the afternoon of last Friday (31), Corinthians, through an official statement, confirmed the injuries suffered by midfielder Zakaria Labyad and forward Yuri Alberto. The physical issues occurred in the goalless draw against Athletico-PR at Neo Química Arena, in the 21st round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The former was diagnosed with a meniscus injury and a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after being substituted at halftime. He twisted his knee during a play down the left side of the attack.

The striker, who came on at the start of the second half and was on the field for 33 minutes, was found to have a muscle injury in the back of his right thigh and has already begun treatment with Timão’s physiotherapy department. In an interview with Meu Timão, doctor Joaquim Grava, who worked at Corinthians for 23 years and gives his name to the club’s training center, detailed the relationship between the quality of the pitch, replaced during the break for the World Cup, and the injuries in question.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

“A ligament injury really can happen even on a good pitch, but when the field does not offer adequate conditions for football, the probability of suffering injuries is very high. A cruciate ligament injury almost always comes from a rotation of the knee. If the pitch is not in good condition, when you rotate the knee and turn your body, your foot can get stuck and that can cause an anterior cruciate ligament injury,” he began.

Zakaria Labyad is under contract with Corinthians until December 2026. However, because of the injury and in accordance with the law, the club from Parque São Jorge will likely have to extend the deal if the recovery period stretches into 2027, which will probably happen. Recovery time in these cases ranges from 6 to 12 months. In the Moroccan’s contract, there is also the possibility of an automatic renewal if certain targets are met, though these were not disclosed.

The quality of the new pitch at Neo Química Arena has been generating a series of questions, especially after Zakaria Labyad’s injuries. Replaced during the World Cup, the condition of the surface has caused dissatisfaction among Corinthians’ coaching staff and the players themselves, prompting statements from the Arena’s operations manager (Marcelo de Luna), Timão’s football executive (Marcelo Paz), and the company responsible for the pitch (World Sports).

Joaquim Grava was also asked whether the pitch could have played a role in forward Yuri Alberto’s injury as well. On the subject, he said that pitch quality still has considerable influence on muscle injuries, such as the one suffered by Timão’s No. 9.

“It can (be responsible for the injury), yes, but it is much less likely than in a ligament injury. You can be on a very good pitch, in perfect conditions, and depending on how you sprint, shoot, or run, you can suffer a muscle injury. You can’t say for sure that the pitch caused that kind of injury. It could have happened on another type of surface, even on a pitch in good condition,” he continued.

In its official statement, Corinthians did not specify the severity of the injury, limiting itself to saying that the player had started treatment with the professionals from the club’s medical department. The doctor explained how the extent of fiber damage affects the complexity of the injury and recovery time.

“With a mild injury, the return is quick. Usually it is a contracture or muscle edema, so recovery is very fast. A moderate injury, which is also a problem, involves damage to a partial number of fibers; depending on how it progresses, it can regress to a mild condition or become severe. And a severe injury is always the most problematic. Depending on the muscle, the player can be out for up to three months between healing, transition work, and recovering the execution of movements itself — especially if it is the muscle used for kicking,” he concluded.

With Zakaria Labyad and Yuri Alberto unavailable, Corinthians remain focused on the rest of the season. This Sunday (2), at 7:30 p.m. Brasília time, Alvinegro will visit Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16. The second match between the teams will take place next Thursday (6), at 8 p.m. Brasília time, at Neo Química Arena.

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