Corinthians defender jokes with Portilho, eyes Club World Cup semi-final

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Central do Timão

·24 January 2026

Corinthians defender jokes with Portilho, eyes Club World Cup semi-final

By Vinícios Cotrim | Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians is getting closer to taking the field in pursuit of making history in world women's football. In the semifinals of the FIFA Women's Champions Cup, the Brabas will face Gotham FC, champions of Central and North America. Defender Érika spoke about the preparation to face the North American club and the reunion with Gabi Portilho, a former Timão player.

“We already know Gotham, who will be our first opponent, and we also know their players. We know they are an excellent team, very fast, and they like to move the ball around. We're talking about a clash between the Brazilian style and the American style, which has a different pace, that back-and-forth all the time. Even so, it's essential that we manage to impose our game, respecting their quality, but trusting in our own rhythm,” analyzed Érika before boarding for London, England.

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Photo: Rebeca Reis/Staff Images/CBF

Even with years of experience in her football career, the defender spoke about the anxiety of stepping onto the field. “That butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling is a must. That’s the ‘sweet spot’ of sports, you can be sure of that. If you don’t feel that anymore, it’s better to stop playing football, because that’s when the fun is over. But until then, we have a week to adapt. As for the weather, I don’t know, but we’ll deal with the anxiety little by little. When the ball finally rolls, you can be sure the feeling will be: ‘Phew, now it’s on!’”

As mentioned, Gotham FC features Gabi Portilho, a well-known and multi-title-winning forward who wore the Corinthians shirt. Érika has already exchanged messages with the player and joked about situations in the game.

“We’ve already talked, yes; we message each other all the time. I was joking with her, saying she should rest on game day and not take the field, and she quickly replied: ‘Try to hold me back!’ I even tried to ‘bribe’ her with ice cream and cake, and she promised she would fall right on my side of the field. It’s always this kind of joking between us, but she knows how much I care about her,” revealed the defender.

“I used to pretend I didn’t like her, but now I admit I miss her — and she even finds it strange, says she’s going to record it to prove it to everyone. Everything’s fine between us. I even offered to bring her a treat to see if she’d soften up and take it easy on defense, but in the end, everything’s good between us,” she added.

Corinthians and Gotham FC will face off on January 28, in the semifinals of the FIFA Women's Champions Cup, with a spot in the grand final at stake. The other bracket features Arsenal and AS FAR, champions of Europe and Africa.

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