José Martínez on controversial exit, he'd return to Corinthians | OneFootball

Defensive midfielder José Martínez, champion of the Paulista Championship and the Copa do Brasil with Corinthians, broke his silence and explained for the first time the behind-the-scenes details of the controversial injury that ultimately led to his departure from the club. In addition to revealing details about his physical condition, the Venezuelan also said he would return to Timão and that he left the team because of then-head coach Dorival Júnior.

“When I arrived in Brazil, I showed everything to the staff, the players, I tried to speak with the coach, and he didn’t want to talk to me. He didn’t want to listen to me. I’m sure I left the team because of the coach, because I had a good relationship with the players. I fell in love with Corinthians. It’s one of the best teams I’ve played for in my life”, Martínez said in an interview with ESPN’s Fala a Fonte program.

Rodrigo Coca/Corinthians Agency

“If I made a mistake, I apologize. But it was not my intention to return late. I wanted to come back as quickly as possible, because I knew the injury I had and wanted to solve it. If I have to apologize, I apologize to all the fans. If I have to return to Corinthians, I will, because I love Corinthians. If I come back to Brazil to play, I’m available to return. I believe the staff did not value the sacrifice I made when they needed me. I’m sure I left the team because of the staff”, he continued.

Delay in reporting back

Commenting on the delay in reporting back, José Martínez again explained that everything happened because of passport issues.

“My passport was valid, but it had no more pages for stamping. When I came to Venezuela in October to pick up my son, I returned two days later. My son has an American passport and in Brazil they require a visa. I didn’t know that, and it took me a while to return. The coaching staff didn’t believe it, so I passed everything on to my agent so he could speak with the team, because they thought I was acting in bad faith”, he said.

“I love Corinthians. It gave me confidence, the fans helped me. I know I wasn’t the best on the team, but I gave my best”, the player continued.

The player said he maintained a good relationship with names such as André Carrillo, Garro, and Matheuzinho, and revealed that he told everyone about the problems he encountered trying to return to Brazil at the beginning of the year.

“I spoke with him (Carrillo) every day. I spoke with him, with Rodrigo Garro, with Matheuzinho. I explained what was happening, they knew the situation I was going through”, he concluded.

Jabs and controversy

In April, after Dorival Júnior was dismissed, defensive midfielder José Martínez posted indirect jabs at the former coach on his social media.

“I left the team because of you, now you’re going to pay the price. God is in control. Soon they will know the truth”, the player wrote in an Instagram Stories post.

After reporting back more than a month late, Martínez returned complaining of pain, underwent tests, and was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee. Because of this, Corinthians terminated the Venezuelan’s contract.

In the agreement, Timão agreed to cover the surgery and 30% of his salaries from February to December 2026. Even though his contract ran until the end of 2027, Martínez gave up the salaries he would have received next year.

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