Corinthians football chief backs keeping Fernando Diniz | OneFootball

Corinthians took the field on Sunday afternoon (20) to face Fluminense at Neo Química Arena, in a match valid for the 28th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, and were defeated 3-1. Despite the result, which extended the team’s negative run, football executive Marcelo Paz gave a brief statement after the game to back coach Fernando Diniz staying at the club.

“We know football has its moments, its difficulties, and of course we are going through a difficult, bad moment, mainly in terms of results, not so much performances, but results—a very negative run—and naturally that creates speculation about a change in the coaching staff. So I’m here to say that no (there will not be a change), that together with the presidency we decided to continue the work,” the executive said.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Corinthians Agency

During a period marked by pressure due to poor results, Fernando Diniz also received internal backing to remain in charge of Corinthians. According to Paz, some players took the initiative to approach the coaching staff to show support for the coach and defend the continuation of the work, despite the unfavorable streak.

“Many were asking whether, in the event of a defeat this Sunday, there would be a change. The decision is to continue, to believe in the work. And that stance was validated by the players themselves. The players came to us voluntarily, without us having gone to them, to say that we’re going to get out of this together,” he revealed.

Pressure on the coach’s work is growing amid Corinthians’ negative run this season. The team reached its sixth consecutive defeat in the Brazilian Championship, which brought the club closer to the relegation zone, leaving it only three points ahead of Grêmio. Alvinegro Paulista has 32 points from 28 rounds, while the team from Rio Grande do Sul, the first inside the Z-4, has 28 points.

In addition, Fernando Diniz saw his team fall in the Copa do Brasil round of 16 to Internacional, after an away defeat and a draw at Neo Química Arena, and they were also eliminated in the Libertadores quarterfinals by Estudiantes, with a draw in Argentina and a frustrating home defeat. Looking at the team’s last ten matches of the season, Corinthians has just one win (against Rosario Central-ARG in the Libertadores), two draws, and seven defeats.

Since arriving at Corinthians, Diniz has already led the team in 33 matches, recording 13 wins, nine draws, and 11 defeats in that span, which amounts to a 48% success rate. In addition, the team has scored 36 goals and conceded 33 since the coach was hired.

Now, after being beaten at home by Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship, Fernando Diniz will have a long period to train the team with a recovery in mind. After the FIFA international break, during which there will be just over two weeks for training, Corinthians will visit Internacional on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), for the 29th round of the national competition.

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