Corinthians train with possible returns ahead of Botafogo clash | OneFootball

On the morning of this Friday, Corinthians took another step forward in their preparation to face Botafogo in the Brazilian Championship. The team held their penultimate training session before the match, valid for the 36th round. For the game, coach Dorival Júnior hopes for three important returns to the team.

Corinthians will complete their preparation to face Botafogo on Saturday morning. The teams will meet at 4 PM (Brasília time) this Sunday, at the Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP).

How was the training?

The squad began activities with gym activations, followed by a warm-up on the field. Soon after, the group was divided between midfield and attack players for offensive movement drills, with passes, crosses, and finishes. Simultaneously, the defensive players underwent specific positioning training.

Doubts, absences, and returns

Corinthians has three main doubts for the match against Botafogo. Goalkeeper Hugo Souza and Maycon have recovered from their respective injuries and trained on the field this Friday. Therefore, both are expected to reinforce the team in the match against the Cariocas, but their presence is not yet guaranteed.

Another uncertainty for the coaching staff is the return of Matheus Bidu. The left-back was absent against Cruzeiro due to right knee pain and trained partially with the group this Friday. Thus, he remains a doubt for Sunday's match.

On the other hand, Timão will definitely be without José Martínez and Memphis Depay. The Venezuelan is suspended after being sent off against Cruzeiro, while the Dutchman is recovering from a bone edema in his left knee. He continued his treatment this Friday.

Standings situation

Corinthians comes from a tough defeat to Cruzeiro at Mineirão and no longer has a chance to reach the G7 of the Brazilian Championship. The team is in 11th place, with 45 points – 11 points behind Bahia, the current seventh place.

Upcoming Corinthians matches

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