Corinthians boss on Paulistão exit, welcomes more training time

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Central do Timão

·1 March 2026

Corinthians boss on Paulistão exit, welcomes more training time

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the night of last Saturday (28), Corinthians faced Novorizontino at the Jorge Ismael de Biasi Stadium, known as Jorjão, in a match valid for the semifinals of the 2026 São Paulo State Championship, and ended up being defeated by a score of 1-0, bidding farewell to the state tournament. In the competition, the Alvinegro had four wins, three draws, and three losses – 11 goals scored and eight conceded.

In a press conference right after the match ended, coach Dorival Júnior commented on the free time for training that the team will have starting this week. The club from Parque São Jorge returns to the field only on the next March 11 (Wednesday), at 9:30 PM (Brasília time), in Itaquera, for the fifth round of the Brasileirão, to face Coritiba. In the national competition, the Corinthians team is in third place with seven points – two wins, one draw, and one loss.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

The period without games will also serve for the Alvinegro to recover some players who are in the medical department and others in physical reconditioning, such as Felipe Longo, Matheus Pereira, Zakaria Labyad, Kaio César, and Yuri Alberto. The English midfielder Jesse Lingard, who landed in São Paulo on the morning of this Sunday (1), also fits this aspect and will undergo medical examinations on Monday before being officially announced.

“It helps any team (a free week). You will have time to work, recover, and condition your team. This is very important. Now, the campaign that Corinthians is doing (in the Brasileirão) is a worthy campaign. We are today, I don't know, in fourth or fifth place. If it weren't for the first result we had (loss to Bahia), we would be very close to the leadership of the competition, but that is not the goal at this moment.”

“We need to strengthen our team even more and aim for a much better year than the previous one. And I am sure that this will happen if everything we are planning for our team works out, it will be worth it. We are not forcing anything, we are looking for opportunities in the market that have been important for all of us”, he began.

He then added that the Corinthians squad will have a longer training period than at the beginning of this year. After winning the Copa do Brasil on December 21, 2025, the Alvinegro returned to the CT Dr. Joaquim Grava on January 3, debuting in the season eight days later against Ponte Preta at the Neo Química Arena, for the Paulistão. Now, until the next match, the club from Parque São Jorge will have a 'hiatus' of ten free days.

“It's the time we didn't have at the beginning of the year. We had eight days for a debut. Already with decisive and important games, we couldn't slip up in the São Paulo State Championship, already facing classics, opening the Brazilian Championship. It was quite demanding for a team that rested only ten days. I am very satisfied with what I am seeing, the commitment that is happening, and Corinthians could have had better luck.”

He then analyzed the match and acknowledged the merit of Novorizontino, which had the best overall campaign in the state, eliminating Santos and Corinthians in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, with a total of 22 points accumulated: “We played for this. It wasn't a brilliant game, but we played, perhaps deserving a different result. It didn't happen, we have to recognize the value of Novorizontino's team and embrace them for this moment they are living.”

“It's not that the plan didn't work; it was an extremely contested game. We faced the team with the best campaign, an aggressive opponent that, although it doesn't prioritize possession, is lethal in creation and finishing. We played correctly, circulating outside the block to avoid the quick transitions they seek so much. We didn't give them the space they wanted to regain the ball inside and launch the counterattack”, he continued.

He later reflected on Corinthians' strategy for the match and lamented that, in a mistake during the game, the opponent was efficient and opened the scoring. He also acknowledged the opponent's merit for the classification: “It's not that the plan didn't work; it was an extremely contested game. We faced the team with the best campaign, an aggressive opponent that, although it doesn't prioritize possession, is lethal in creation and finishing. We played correctly, circulating outside the block to avoid the quick transitions they seek so much. We didn't give them the space they wanted to regain the ball inside and launch the counterattack.”

“Unfortunately, a minimal mistake cost us the defeat — the only real defensive mistake we made. In the first half, we had a similar opportunity with Bidu attacking the back of the defense, but we weren't successful in the finish. We were consistent and controlled possession, but lacked effectiveness. Novorizontino is to be congratulated for the campaign and reaches the final with merit. It's necessary to recognize and praise when the opponent has value, and this was the case”, he stated.

The Corinthians coach also recalled his campaign with São Caetano in 2007, when he was the state runner-up losing to Santos in the final, citing the fact that Novorizontino ended up being 'underestimated' throughout the tournament.

“I was a runner-up with a team that had been relegated in the Brazilian Championship and, at the start of 2007, was the São Paulo state runner-up. We gave a brilliant response on the field with São Caetano, eliminating São Paulo in this same phase (semifinal), by 4-1, at Morumbi. That campaign not only led us to the final against Santos but also revealed talents for the whole country, like midfielder Douglas, who later became an idol here at Corinthians. This experience taught me that, with organization and work, it's possible to turn distrust into protagonism.”

“Those who haven't noticed Novorizontino's evolution in recent years are not valuing what they have achieved. It's a capable team, very well trained by Enderson Moreira. If we had tried to force the game through the middle, against such an aggressive and well-positioned defense, the risk would be enormous. We played the right way, circulating the ball. It wasn't a brilliant technical match on either side, but it was played with dignity. We had chances, but they were lethal in the only clear opportunity they had. Football sometimes comes down to this happiness in finishing,” he said.

Dorival was also questioned about Memphis Depay's performance in the match, playing as a center-forward, just like in the Netherlands National Team. So far, in the season, he has played 10 matches, with only one assist and no goals scored: “He plays like this in his national team, I see no problem. He's a player who knows how to finish like no one else, he just didn't have the ball in the match suddenly at his disposal.”

Finally, the Corinthians coach spoke about the team's transfer window. Clubs have until the next March 3, Tuesday, to sign players. To start 2026, the following players were acquired and made official: defender Gabriel Paulista, right-back Pedro Milans, midfielder Allan, midfielder Matheus Pereira, midfielder Zakaria Labyad, and forward Kaio César. The English midfielder, Jesse Lingard, is about to be announced. He also emphasized the importance of not losing players due to the demanding schedule – Brasileirão, Libertadores, and Copa do Brasil.

“(For me) No one would leave. No one. We still don't have a formed team. We are finding a fit. This takes time. It's not because we won the Copa do Brasil and everything is wonderful. It's already over, it's already gone. It was last year. From this year on, we have to have a stronger team. We will have a much higher level of demand. We can't go through the struggles we went through in the Brazilian Championship. Soon, like now, we have three players in the medical department.”

“We need many more options so that, by improving our group, we can strengthen it and then we can be held accountable. Otherwise, it's very difficult to give an answer, given what happened last year. Two, three players in the medical department at the same time. It's impossible. Either we establish ourselves, or we will be left in the middle of the road. And to be left in the middle of the road, I won't stay. I came here because I was promised a condition and I am working to make all this materialize. Now we can't keep building a team all the time. We have to improve what we already have. And to improve, we can't lose those who are already here,” he concluded.

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