Coritiba revamps women’s side to defend Paranaense title; see | OneFootball

Coritiba begin a short competition this Sunday, but one surrounded by responsibility. The reigning Paraná state champions, the women’s team kick off at 10 a.m. against Galo Maringá, away from home, with the mission of repeating the campaign that ended with the 2025 state title.

RTI Esporte Agency has learned that the start comes after a squad overhaul triggered by the team’s elimination from Série A3 of the Brazilian Championship. The State Championship will have only four teams and leave little room for mistakes.

Besides Coritiba and Galo Maringá, the competition also features Imperial, which maintains a partnership with Athletico, and Shabureya. The first stage will be played over just three rounds, before the final scheduled for November.

The team coached by Rafael Lopes arrives at the tournament with two new signings announced so far. Winger Maria Mendes, formerly of Vila Nova-GO, and defensive midfielder Paty Alves, who previously played for Botafogo, have been added to the squad for the competition.

The overhaul, however, does not mean a complete break. The coaching staff kept an important part of the core group that played in the first half of the year and used the preparation period to reorganize the squad.

Elimination in Série A3 sped up changes

The exit from the Brazilian Championship had consequences for the planning. Rafael Lopes acknowledged that the result led to changes in the squad, but stressed that the internal environment regained stability during preparations for the State Championship.

With the new players integrated, the work entered a stage more focused on tactical adjustments. The coaching staff believes the group has already moved past the initial adaptation phase and is now concentrating efforts on shaping the team that will start the championship.

Centre-back Thamyres, one of Coritiba’s leaders, also described the preparation period as important for reorganizing the team. Internally, defending the title has been seen as a demand since the very first training sessions.

Coritiba will have little room to recover

The format of the Women’s Paraná State Championship increases the weight of each round. The four teams will face each other once, and only the top two will advance to the final. Galo Maringá and Shabureya will have two home matches, while Coritiba and Imperial will have only one.

In the opener, Coritiba visit Galo Maringá and then face Shabureya away from home. In the third round, they host Imperial. Matches will be played on Sundays at 10 a.m., with every point potentially decisive in the standings.

The final will be decided over two matches

The two qualified teams will contest the title over home-and-away matches. If Coritiba finish the first stage in first place, they will have the right to play the second leg at home. If the aggregate score is tied, the winner will be decided on penalties.

The final is scheduled for November 1. Coritiba therefore arrive facing a different scenario from the title won in 2025. The team must balance rebuilding the squad with the obligation to compete immediately for another trophy.

The campaign begins in Maringá, but the fight for back-to-back titles will be defined in just three matches in the first stage. For a team that has just gone through changes, there will be no margin for a long adaptation period.

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