Will Corinthians sack Fernando Diniz? Inside story | OneFootball

Fernando Diniz came into the match against Estudiantes under pressure over issues that went beyond results. His future at Corinthians was already being discussed internally before the 1-0 elimination in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals.

RTI Esporte Agency has learned that the elimination increased the pressure on Fernando Diniz. The team’s performance also caused dissatisfaction: Timão created little, conceded Alexis Castro’s goal late on, and also saw Memphis Depay miss a penalty in stoppage time.

Results weigh heavily in the assessment

The team’s performance in the Brazilian Championship is one of the factors that increased the pressure on Fernando Diniz. Corinthians have suffered five consecutive defeats in the competition and sit 14th with 32 points, just four above the relegation zone.

After the break in the schedule for the World Cup, the team also showed a drop in form. In the 14 matches played since the restart, there have been four wins, three draws, and seven defeats.

Fernando Diniz himself acknowledged the need for a reaction after the elimination. “We have to improve in the league, we’re on a very bad run,” said the coach, who also called for greater unity within the squad for the final stretch of the season.

Squad management became another problem

Besides the results, the handling of the squad became part of the internal discussions. The time off granted to players such as Memphis Depay and André Carrillo before the clash with Estudiantes raised questions within the club.

The board even sought information at CT Joaquim Grava about the behavior of the players who had been given leave. The episode deepened a discussion that already existed about the way Fernando Diniz manages the group.

This situation adds to the run of defeats in the Brasileirão and the Libertadores elimination. The assessment of the coach’s future, therefore, does not depend only on the result against Estudiantes, but on the set of problems that have built up over the past few weeks.

What happens now?

Fernando Diniz is under contract with Corinthians until December 2026. The elimination against Estudiantes, however, increased the pressure at precisely a time when the team needs to respond in the Brazilian Championship.

The next match will be against Fluminense on Sunday the 20th at Neo Química Arena, in the 28th round. The game will carry weight in the assessment of his work, but so far there has been no official confirmation that Corinthians have decided to sack Fernando Diniz.

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