Rafael Rodrigo Klein to referee Corinthians v Barra in Copa do Brasil opener | OneFootball

Rafael Rodrigo Klein will take charge of Corinthians’ Copa do Brasil 2026 opener against Barra at Estádio da Ressacada in Santa Catarina on Tuesday at 21:30.

Meu Timao reports that Corinthians have struggled in matches overseen by Klein, with five defeats, three draws and one win from nine. He has shown 32 yellow cards to Corinthians players, an average of 3.5 per match, and issued two reds.

This will be only the second time he has refereed Corinthians in the Copa do Brasil. In 2025 he handled the first leg of the final against Vasco at Neo Química Arena, which ended 0-0.

Their most recent meeting came in the Supercopa do Brasil decider, when Corinthians beat Flamengo 2-0 for their first victory under Klein. Late in the first half, Carrascal made contact with Breno Bidon’s face and the referee chose not to consult VAR. After the interval he reversed that stance, checked the footage and sent off the Flamengo player.

For the Barra match, Klein will be assisted by Maira Mastella Moreira and Luanderson Lima dos Santos, with William Machado Steffen as fourth official. The video assistant referee will be Paulo Renato Moreira da Silva Coelho. The return is set for 14 May at 19:30 at Neo Química Arena, when the last-16 place will be decided.

Source: Meu Timao