Corinthians defender on short prep, plans early squad rotation

In partnership with

Central do Timão

·12 January 2026

Corinthians defender on short prep, plans early squad rotation

By Daniel Keppler/ Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the afternoon of this Sunday (11), Corinthians took the field for the first time in the 2026 season! Playing at Neo Química Arena, the People’s Team hosted Ponte Preta for the first round of the Campeonato Paulista, and even missing important starting players, controlled the game and won 3-0. The goals were scored by Gustavo Henrique, André Luiz, and André Ramalho, all in the second half.

After the match, defender André Ramalho spoke to the press in the mixed zone, where he talked about the short time between the end of the 2025 season and the start of the next: “It’s difficult, obviously. On one hand, we don’t lose our conditioning that much, right? But on the other hand, obviously you lose something. And then you only have a week to prepare. It is what it is, we have to accept it, we have to do our best. Despite everything, we managed to have a good week of training. I think we managed to make a good appearance today. We hope and will work so that we can improve game after game.”

OneFootball Videos

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

The defender also stated that he expects the squad to rotate in these first matches, trusting the coaching staff’s decisions on the matter. “They have already shown that they know and do this rotation very well. So, it’s up to us to always take care of ourselves. Because they know the schedule is very packed. By taking care of ourselves, taking good care of our bodies, we can be in the best possible physical shape. The more available you are, the more chances you have to play. So, that’s up to us,” he explained.

Asked what the fans can expect from him in 2026, André Ramalho replied: “I hope I can contribute in the best way possible. I know who I am, I work hard not just to always be available, but also to perform at my best. Obviously, there are times when it’s not possible, we can’t do it, but I think, in general, I am able to perform consistently, frequently. So that’s what I’m going to do. Always give my best, working day after day, so that I can meet expectations on the field and keep evolving.”

He continued, stating that this principle also applies to the rest of the squad. “This goes for the team. We set it as a goal to be a more consistent team, a team that people know what to expect from us, but this also applies individually to each athlete. We have to try to evolve year after year, game after game, and that’s what I’ll try to do every day while I wear this shirt and while I’m a player,” he concluded.

See More: