Chasing LNF quarter-final spot, Corinthians' knockout form since 2020 | OneFootball

Late this Saturday afternoon (3), Corinthians visit Pato at 5 p.m. (Brasília time) at Arena Cláudio Petrycoski, in Paraná, for the second leg of the 2026 National Futsal League (LNF) round of 16. In the first match, played last Monday (28) at Wlamir Marques, the teams drew 1-1.

The club from Parque São Jorge, in order to advance to the quarterfinals, is holding on to strong knockout-stage numbers in the national competition over the last six years. Since 2020, Timão, currently coached by Fernando Malafaia, has come out on top in 10 of the 15 knockout ties played in the National Futsal League. During this period, they won the tournament in 2022 and finished as runners-up in 2020 and 2025.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

It is worth remembering that Alvinegro finished the first phase in 11th place — out of 16 teams — with 16 points in 15 matches — four wins, four draws, and seven losses — with 24 goals scored and 29 conceded, securing a place in the quarterfinal playoffs. In this edition of the National League, Corinthians and Pato faced each other in the very last round of the first phase, also at Wlamir Marques, and Timão won 2-0. The goals were scored by Lucas Oliveira and Fabinho.

In 2018, the two teams also met in the competition’s quarterfinals, and the Paraná side came out on top. On November 5 of that year, they drew 1-1. Five days later, Alvinegro were defeated 4-2. This season, the League changed its competition format, as relegation was added and, as a result, the tournament’s second division — LNF Silver.

From this year on, only the top four advance directly to the knockout stage, while those finishing between 5th and 12th place will play an additional playoff before the quarterfinal stage. In 2020, the club from Parque São Jorge reached the final by knocking out Carlos Barbosa (quarterfinals) and Joinville (semifinals), before being beaten by Magnus Sorocaba in the final.

The following season, Corinthians had a below-expected campaign and were eliminated by Foz de Cataratas in the round of 16. In 2022, meanwhile, came the second title. In the knockout stage, Timão beat São José, Joinville, Jaraguá, and Atlântico Erechim to lift the trophy. In 2023 and 2024, Alvinegro were once again eliminated in the round of 16, by Minas and Jaraguá, respectively.

In 2025, Corinthians finished among the top teams in the first phase of the competition and, in the knockout stage, knocked out Carlos Barbosa (round of 16), Magnus (quarterfinals), and Campo Mourão (semifinals), but were beaten by Jaraguá in the grand final. Corinthians’ futsal team has been going through a major rebuilding process in 2026.

Currently, the squad is made up mostly of players developed in Corinthians’ youth ranks in the sport, due to the severe financial crisis and, consequently, the budget cuts implemented in the department by the administration of president Osmar Stabile. Besides the LNF, Timão have already played in the Supercopa Gramado and Copa LNF this year, and in them were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Atlântico on penalties and in the round of 16, losing 4-1 to São Lourenço, respectively.

In the Paulista Futsal Championship, Corinthians finished the first phase in third place overall, with 11 wins, three draws, and one loss — 51 goals scored and 19 conceded. Timão are awaiting the release of the quarterfinal details by the Paulista Futsal Federation (FPF).

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