Out of favour under Diniz, Gui Negão and Charles go cold | OneFootball

The break in the national calendar for the World Cup comes at a time of uncertainty for some Corinthians squad players. Among them are forward Gui Negão and defensive midfielder Charles, who have lost ground in recent weeks and end the first half of the year without playing under Fernando Diniz.

The two players are in different situations, but they share the difficulty of earning opportunities since the arrival of the new coaching staff. While Gui Negão has still been included in the squad for some matches but has not taken the field, Charles has not played at all since recovering from an injury.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

In the case of the young striker developed in the youth academy, his last official appearance came on March 22, when he came on during the match against Flamengo in the Brazilian Championship, still under Dorival Júnior. After that match, the player joined the Brazil Under-20 national team, but ended up suffering an injury during the training period.

After more than a month recovering, Gui became available again to the senior squad. Even so, he was unable to regain the run of opportunities he had previously received. Since returning, the forward has alternated between being called up to the bench and being left out of the matchday squad, without stepping onto the field again.

The situation draws attention especially because of the context in the attacking sector. In recent rounds, Corinthians have dealt with important absences in attack due to injuries, call-ups, and personal issues involving some players. Even so, the academy product was not used by the coaching staff.

Gui Negão stood out last season by scoring important goals and taking part in the campaign that led Corinthians to the 2025 Copa do Brasil title. In 2026, however, the forward has lost space and is trying to regain a leading role in the main squad.

Charles is also going through a similar spell. The defensive midfielder has not played since the 3-1 defeat to Fluminense on April 1, when he was still being used by the previous coaching staff.

Shortly after that match, the player suffered an injury to his right heel and spent a period sidelined for treatment. Even after being cleared by the medical department, Charles has not been used again and has stopped appearing in the squad lists for the most recent matches.

Since Fernando Diniz arrived, other players in the position have earned opportunities and regained space in the squad. The clearest example is Alex Santana, who has once again been used in important matches. Charles, on the other hand, remained out of the coaching staff’s plans throughout the final stretch of the first half of the year.

In addition to the sporting situation, the midfielder was also involved in off-field discussions related to the payment of fees from his transfer with Midtjylland of Denmark. The matter, however, has no direct connection to his use on the pitch.

With the 3-1 win over Grêmio last Saturday (30), Corinthians ended their participation before the calendar break. The squad will go on vacation and later return for a preparation period ahead of the rest of the season.

The interruption of the competitions could represent a new opportunity for Gui Negão and Charles. With more weeks of training under Fernando Diniz, both will have the chance to fight for space and convince the coaching staff before the official resumption of competitions in the second half of the year.

Before the Brazilian Championship resumes, Corinthians will still play preparatory friendlies during the mid-season break, a period that could serve as an opportunity to evaluate players who had few chances throughout the first months of 2026.

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