Corinthians tread carefully with Memphis, still out v Santa Fe | OneFootball

Corinthians will be without Memphis Depay for the match against Independiente Santa Fe in the fourth round of the Copa Libertadores group stage. The forward is still in the physical transition process and will not travel with the black-and-white squad to Colombia.

The information was confirmed by Central do Timão. The number 10 has not played since March 22, when he suffered a grade 2 muscle injury in his right thigh during the match against Flamengo in the Brazilian Championship.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Even with progress in his recovery process, the club has been cautious about the player's return to the pitch. Internally, the assessment is that his reintegration needs to happen gradually, without rushing any stages.

Diniz avoids setting a return date

In a recent interview, head coach Fernando Diniz did not set a date for the forward’s return and stressed the need to respect the recovery timeline. The coach has been rotating the squad in recent matches and, even with the packed schedule this season, remains cautious about the player’s physical condition.

Dutch national team changes its stance

While Corinthians manages the player’s return, Memphis remains on the radar of the Netherlands national team. Coach Ronald Koeman indicated a change in stance regarding the forward’s call-up for the World Cup.

“I think it would be possible in his case. I also took him to Euro 2024, even though he was not 100% physically fit. It’s possible that, if he is not fully fit, he could still be called up and start on the bench,” the coach told Dutch broadcaster NOS.

Koeman also mentioned Corinthians’ schedule as a factor that could help the player recover in time for the call-up period.

“The expectation is that he will be back with the squad (at Corinthians) for the next matches. Fortunately, they still have a schedule with games every three days. The last match is on May 27, so there is still enough time if everything goes well,” he added.

Possible return and contract situation

The trend is for Memphis to be available again for Corinthians’ upcoming matches. The expectation is that the forward could be included in the squad for the derby against São Paulo in the Brazilian Championship if he continues to progress in training. This season, the player has made 12 appearances, with one goal and one assist for the black-and-white club.

In addition to his physical recovery, Memphis’ future also remains a topic behind the scenes. The forward’s contract runs until June 20, and Corinthians is in talks with partners to make a contract renewal possible.

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