Corinthians among top 5 clubs giving most minutes to U20s in Brasileirão | OneFootball

The use of players from Corinthians’ youth academy has become recurring, mainly due to the club’s severe financial crisis, with debt nearing R$ 3 billion. According to a survey by Portal da Base Brasil, the Alvinegro are the fifth club in the Brazilian Championship that most often uses young players aged up to 20 in the national competition. Click here to check out the post.

According to the survey published by the outlet specializing in youth academy news, Corinthians have totaled 1,518 minutes with players born from 2006 onward, considering seven players called up: Gui Negão (37 matches with the senior team), Dieguinho (37 matches with the senior side), André Luiz (47 matches with the senior team), Luiz Gustavo Bahia (four matches with the senior side), João Vitor Jacaré (three matches with the senior team), Iago Machado and Nicollas – the latter two have yet to make their debuts, but have already been on the bench.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

In this ranking, Corinthians trail only the following teams: Botafogo (4,168 minutes – 17 players), Athletico-PR (3,875 minutes – six players), Cruzeiro (2,468 minutes – 12 players), and Grêmio (2,233 minutes – ten players). Among all the players, defensive midfielder André Luiz is the one who has been on the field the most for Corinthians in the league – 1,115 minutes.

Next come: Dieguinho (247 minutes) and Gui Negão (156 minutes). Meanwhile, Luiz Gustavo Bahia, João Vitor ‘Jacaré’, Nicollas, and Iago Machado have yet to log any minutes in the national tournament. It is worth remembering that, at this moment, Corinthians are barred from registering any new signings because they have three transfer bans – two from FIFA and one from the CNRD (National Chamber for Dispute Resolution – CNRD) – totaling approximately R$ 22 million.

This scenario could lead to an even greater number of promotions from the youth ranks, since there is no forecast for this punishment to be lifted. Internally, the Corinthians board admits it may close this transfer window – which ends on September 11 – without making any signings. The priority is to settle outstanding salary and bonus payments with the current squad.

In addition to the seven players mentioned, goalkeeper Matheus Corrêa – more frequently – and center-back Yago Melo, both from the Under-20 team, have already appeared on the senior team’s bench. Winger Luiz Fernando ‘Luizinho’, the youth category’s top scorer this year with 18 goals in 34 matches, is still awaiting a possible opportunity with the first team.

After qualifying for the Libertadores quarterfinals by eliminating Rosario Central-ARG in the round of 16, Corinthians return to the pitch in the coming hours. On Sunday night (23), at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), the club from Parque São Jorge faces Coritiba at Couto Pereira Stadium in the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship, looking to move closer to the qualification zone for the 2027 Conmebol Libertadores. Timão are ninth with 32 points – eight wins, eight draws, and seven losses – with 25 goals scored and 22 conceded.

Check out the survey below:

Photo: Reproduction/Instagram Portal da Base Brasil

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