Will Corinthians miss Martínez? Their record without him before derby | OneFootball

Corinthians will be without José Martínez for the derby against Santos this Wednesday, in the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. The Venezuelan midfielder has ‘disappeared’, did not report back to the Dr. Joaquim Grava training center, and has been cut from the match. However, his absence is not a cause for concern for the black-and-white team.

Gazeta Esportiva gathered statistics on Corinthians without Martínez and found that their performance is not bad. In total, in 17 games played without the player this season, there have been seven wins, eight draws, and only two losses – a 56% success rate.

Martínez’s Numbers

Signed last year, the midfielder has played in 42 matches for Timão in 2025, starting in 31 of them. The Venezuelan scored one goal and provided two assists.

(Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians)

Who will play in his place?

Without him, coach Dorival Júnior will have to rack his brain to set up Corinthians’ midfield for the derby. The coach could simply replace Martínez with another midfielder, such as André Luiz or Ryan. The full-back Hugo, who has been tested in the role, is also a possibility.

Another option is to change the formation to a system with three center-backs. In this case, the team would play with three midfielders: Raniele, Maycon, and Breno Bidon.

Understanding the case

José Martínez was supposed to return to training last Wednesday, when the Corinthians squad’s break for the FIFA date ended. The player, however, still has not shown up. He contacted the Timão board and reported family problems, without giving details.

Corinthians’ football executive, Fabinho Soldado, and Dorival Júnior’s coaching staff are awaiting the player’s return. However, it has already been decided that Martínez will not face Santos. The board still does not know when the midfielder will return to training at the center.

Corinthians’ next match

Standings

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