Corinthians face defining run with relegation six-pointers in Brasileirão | OneFootball

Corinthians deepened their crisis this season even further after being beaten by Fluminense last Sunday (20), by a score of 3-1, at Neo Química Arena, in a match valid for the 28th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The defeat was the team’s sixth in a row in the competition, something that had not happened since 2006.

After the negative result, due to the break for the FIFA international window, which takes place between late September and early October, the Corinthians squad was given four days off and will return to training next Friday (25) at CT Dr. Joaquim Grava. Sitting only 14th in the Brasileirão with 32 points — eight wins, eight draws and 12 defeats — the club from Parque São Jorge will face a series of direct relegation battles after the break in the calendar.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Of Corinthians’ ten remaining matches in this Brazilian Championship, eight are against teams in the lower half of the standings. The first six-pointer will be on October 7, right after the FIFA international break, at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), against Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium, in the 29th round. The team from Rio Grande do Sul is in 18th place with 28 points. In the first half of the season, Timão were beaten 1-0 by the same opponent at Itaquera.

In the following round, on the 11th, at 5:30 p.m., Corinthians will visit second-placed Palmeiras at Nubank Parque. Then, in round 31, scheduled for the 18th, they will host Vitória at Neo Química Arena. The northeastern side currently has 33 points and sits in 13th place. In the first half of the season, the two teams drew 0-0 at Barradão.

On the following weekend, October 24 or 25, Corinthians will travel to São Januário to face Vasco da Gama. Playing at the House of the People, Timão beat the Rio side 1-0 in the first half of the season. At the moment, the Cruz-Maltino team is in 16th place with 31 points. In round 33, meanwhile, Alvinegro will face Mirassol in the week of October 28, in Itaquera. In the current scenario, Leão is in 15th place with 32 points, the same total as Timão, trailing on goal difference (-9 against -3). In the first-half meeting, Alvinegro were beaten 2-1 at Maião.

In addition, around November 4, Corinthians will travel to Morumbis Stadium for the 34th round to take on São Paulo. Dorival Júnior’s team is in 11th place with 36 points. In the first-half Majestoso, Timão won 3-2 at Neo Química Arena. In round 35, in the week of November 18, the club from Parque São Jorge will face Botafogo in Itaquera. Glorioso is currently 12th with 35 points. In the match from the first half of the championship, Alvinegro lost 3-1 at Nilton Santos.

In the 36th round, expected to take place on November 22, Corinthians will travel to Arena MRV to visit Atlético-MG, who after 28 rounds sit seventh with 40 points. In the first half of the season, the club from Parque São Jorge beat the Minas Gerais side 1-0 in Itaquera. In the penultimate round, Alvinegro will host Grêmio in Itaquera — with the 29th as the tentative date. The team from Rio Grande do Sul is currently in 17th place with 29 points. In the last meeting between the sides, Timão beat the opponent 3-1, coming from behind, at Grêmio’s Arena.

Finally, Fernando Diniz’s men will wrap up the Brasileirão in early December by visiting Remo, second from bottom with 23 points, at Mangueirão. In the first half of the national competition, Corinthians beat the Pará side 3-0 at Neo Química Arena.

Crisis in the season, declining numbers under Fernando Diniz, and the relegation fight

The club from Parque São Jorge has not won in the Brazilian Championship since August 9, when they beat Red Bull Bragantino 2-0 at Estádio Cícero de Souza Marques in the 22nd round of the competition, with goals from midfielder Rodrigo Garro and striker Pedro Raul. Since then, there have been six straight defeats — Cruzeiro (H – 1-2), Coritiba (A – 2-1), Santos (H – 0-1), Chapecoense (H – 1-2), Flamengo (A – 2-1) and Fluminense (H – 1-3). This run of consecutive losses had not happened since 2006.

Corinthians’ last victory came on August 20, when they beat Rosario Central-ARG 1-0 at Neo Química Arena in the second leg of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores round of 16. Since then, there has been one draw (Estudiantes-ARG) and six defeats (Coritiba, Santos, Chapecoense, Flamengo, Estudiantes-ARG and Fluminense) — the team’s second-worst winless run of the year.

Since Fernando Diniz arrived at Corinthians in early April, the club has recorded 13 wins, 10 draws and 11 defeats — 36 goals scored and 31 conceded, which represents a 48% success rate. In his first seven matches in charge, Diniz posted five wins and two draws, without conceding a single goal. Before the break for the World Cup, Alvinegro had a 64.5% success rate under the coach — nine wins, four draws and three defeats.

The scenario, however, has changed. Since the return, there have been four wins, eight draws and eight defeats — a 33.3% success rate. In that stretch came elimination in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil and in the Libertadores quarterfinals, against Internacional and Estudiantes-ARG, respectively.

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