Gabriel Paulista shines in Libertadores, equals Corinthians' record | OneFootball

Corinthians’ defensive system played an important role in the 0-0 draw with Rosario Central last Thursday (13), in the first leg of the Conmebol Libertadores round of 16. Among the team’s standout performers was Gabriel Paulista, who started, stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes, and earned his best recent rating for the club.

According to data from SofaScore, the center-back received a rating of 8.0 and finished the match with 22 defensive actions. With that mark, Gabriel matched Raniele at the top of the ranking of Corinthians players with the most defensive contributions in a single match during the 2026 season.

Photos: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

In addition to the overall number, according to a survey by Fiel Imprensa, the defender’s performance was marked by efficiency in one-on-one duels. Gabriel recorded 15 clearances, three interceptions, two tackles, and one ball recovery. In the air, he won all seven duels he contested, reaching a 100% success rate. The defender also came out on top in both ground duels.

His performance carried even more weight given the scenario Corinthians faced at the Gigante de Arroyito. Playing away from home in a knockout clash, the team coached by Fernando Diniz had to withstand moments of pressure from Rosario Central and managed to finish the 90 minutes without conceding.

Gabriel Paulista matches Raniele’s mark

Gabriel Paulista’s 22 defensive actions put him alongside Raniele as the holder of the highest mark recorded by a Corinthians player in a single match in 2026. The midfielder had reached the same number in the match against Athletico-PR. Right behind them is Gustavo Henrique. The fellow center-back recorded 21 defensive actions against Palmeiras.

Check out Corinthians’ highest marks in 2026:

Experience in the black-and-white defense

At 35 years old, Gabriel Paulista has made 34 appearances for Corinthians in 2026, totaling 2,871 minutes on the field and two goals scored. The defender has an average SofaScore rating of 7.13 across all competitions played this season.

In the Libertadores, he has seven matches and 630 minutes, with an average rating of 7.24. In the Brazilian Championship, Gabriel has taken the field 17 times and scored one goal. The center-back’s other goal this season came in the Brazilian Super Cup.

The performance against Rosario Central also marked Gabriel Paulista’s third consecutive match as a starter. Before the continental fixture, the player had started against Internacional in the Copa do Brasil and Red Bull Bragantino in the Brasileirão.

With the draw in Argentina, Corinthians will decide qualification for the Libertadores quarterfinals in front of their home crowd. A win by any scoreline in the second leg secures a spot, while another draw will send the tie to penalties.

Before that continental decider, however, Timão turns its attention back to the Brazilian Championship. This Sunday (16), at 7:30 p.m. Brasília time, the team hosts Cruzeiro at Neo Química Arena in the 23rd round of the competition.

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