Corinthians midfielder hails win, slams artificial pitch

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Central do Timão

·20 February 2026

Corinthians midfielder hails win, slams artificial pitch

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians visited Athletico-PR on the night of Thursday (19th), at Arena da Baixada, in a postponed match from the second round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, and won by a score of 1 x 0. The three points lifted the Alvinegro to fifth place in the national competition with six points accumulated – four goals scored and two conceded.

The scorer of the winning goal for Corinthians, at 21 minutes into the first half, gave an interview to the match broadcasters and highlighted the importance of the positive result, citing the difficulty of the competition and the team’s collective performance: “I am very happy to compete with this team and for this entire journey we are building. We have talked a lot about valuing what we have achieved here, because it’s not a small thing. I leave very satisfied with our performance,” he began.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

He later criticized the synthetic pitch at Arena da Baixada regarding its impact on the players’ physical condition. The Argentine also said that the CBF needs to open a debate on the issue: “Unfortunately, we have to play on this pitch which, for an athlete’s body and with such a tight schedule, is very difficult. I think it’s important that the CBF listens to this, because this type of field threatens our physical integrity. But, besides that, as I said, I’m happy to help the team, score the goal, and win this game, which is fundamental for our journey,” he continued.

Soon after, he commented that he has been seeking his best physical form after a turbulent 2025 season. The number 8, in addition to having scored for the first time since September, suffered two complex injuries last year. Between March and April, he was sidelined due to patellar tendinopathy in his right knee, even traveling to Spain to speed up his recovery. In October, he was diagnosed with a calf muscle injury.

“I have been looking for my best version for a long time. I just want to thank my family and God, who is always with me, guiding me and helping me. When things don’t go as we want, it’s the family that stands by our side, so this thanks is for them. From now on, the focus is to keep helping the team and be important in these games; that’s why I’m very happy,” he said.

Finally, he praised the collective strength of the Corinthians players even amid a large number of absences, including striker Yuri Alberto, who is recovering from a grade 2 muscle injury suffered last Sunday (15th), in a Paulistão match against São Bernardo FC, away from home.

“We have played together for a long time. We have absences, like Yuri’s, but our group is very qualified and tough. We have already been through tough times and we knew how to endure everything by staying united. This unity is what gives value to achievements like the Supercopa, Copa do Brasil, and Paulista. In the end, the most important thing is always the collective and the badge we represent, which is huge,” he concluded.

Rodrigo Garro was signed by Corinthians in January 2024, after standing out playing for Talleres, in Argentina. The midfielder quickly became one of the main players for Alvinegro, being fundamental in the team’s surge in the previous Brasileirão (from the relegation zone to the Pre-Libertadores), where he was voted the best midfielder of the competition in the ESPN Bola de Prata – leading in assists (10). In 2025, he was part of the squad that won the Paulista and the Copa do Brasil, against Palmeiras and Vasco, respectively.

At the start of this year, he also helped the team win the Supercopa do Brasil, against Flamengo, at Mané Garrincha Stadium, in Brasília. Wearing the Corinthians shirt, he has scored 16 goals and provided 25 assists in 110 games. The Corinthians team now faces a decisive match in the Campeonato Paulista. Next Sunday (22nd), Alvinegro visits Portuguesa at 8:30 pm at Canindé, for the quarterfinals of the state championship.

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