Corinthians hit halfway in Paulistão with one of their worst runs

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Central do Timão

·25 January 2026

Corinthians hit halfway in Paulistão with one of their worst runs

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians travels to Rio Claro to face Velo Clube this Sunday (25th) at 8:30 PM, in a match valid for the fifth round of the Paulista Championship. After completing half of the tournament's first phase, Timão is experiencing one of its worst starts in the State Championship in recent years and needs a win to stay in the fight for a spot in the knockout stage.

Before the match against Velo Clube, Corinthians played four matches in the Paulistão, reaching the halfway point of the competition's initial phase. So far, the alvinegro team has only won in the debut, when they defeated Ponte Preta 3-0 at the Neo Química Arena. Besides the victory, the Parque São Jorge club suffered a 3-0 defeat to Red Bull Bragantino and drew both classics against São Paulo and Santos, both 1-1.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

The performance in this edition of the Paulista Championship represents Corinthians' second worst start in the first four rounds since 2020. The current campaign is only ahead of the one recorded in 2024, when Timão won one match and lost the other three. It's worth remembering that season marked the club's worst performance in State Championships in recent years, with elimination still in the group stage.

Since 2020, except for 2024 and the current season, Corinthians had secured at least two victories in the first four games of the Paulista. In the year they lifted the title, for example, the team won three of the initial four matches, a performance that was crucial to securing a favorable position and playing the knockout games at home.

The changes in the Paulistão regulations also impacted the competition's scenario. With the reduction in the number of matches, especially in the first phase, stumbling against Velo Clube could significantly compromise Corinthians' chances of qualifying for the knockout stage.

Currently, the team led by Dorival Júnior occupies the eighth position, with five points, a position that still guarantees a spot in the next phase. A new stumble, whether a draw or defeat, tends to complicate the alvinegro's journey, while a victory could take Corinthians up to the fourth position in the table, provided Capivariano and Portuguesa do not achieve positive results in this round.

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