Win over Cruzeiro could put Corinthians fifth in the Brasileirão | OneFootball

Corinthians take the field on Sunday night (16) with the chance to make an important leap in the Brazilian Championship standings. Against Cruzeiro, at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Neo Química Arena, Timão could finish the 23rd round in fifth place with a win.

The team coached by Fernando Diniz starts the match in eighth place, with 32 points earned in 22 matches. Corinthians have eight wins, eight draws, and six losses, as well as 24 goals scored and 20 conceded. The club dropped one spot before even taking the field after Red Bull Bragantino picked up points this round.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

The closeness between the teams makes this Sunday’s match even more important. Cruzeiro sit immediately ahead of the group fighting for a place in the G5, with 33 points, just one more than Timão. In this way, a Corinthians win would not only add three points to their campaign, but also prevent a direct rival from taking any points.

If they beat the Minas Gerais side, Corinthians will reach 35 points and will necessarily move ahead of both Cruzeiro and Red Bull Bragantino. Depending on Bahia’s situation at the end of the round, the result could also lift Alvinegro into fifth place in the Brazilian Championship.

The possibility represents a significant change in Corinthians’ outlook in the competition. Timão finished the previous round in seventh after beating Red Bull Bragantino 2-0 away from home. Now, another win could bring the team even closer to the top spots and solidify their resurgence in the Brasileirão.

On the other hand, a slip-up could keep the race very tight. In the event of a draw, Corinthians would move to 33 points and remain close to the rivals immediately above them. A defeat, besides preventing them from closing in on the G5, could cause the team to lose places to clubs just behind them in the standings.

The clash also comes amid an important stretch of the schedule. Just a few days after facing Cruzeiro, Corinthians will have a Libertadores decider. Next Thursday (20), at 9:30 p.m., Timão host Rosario Central at Neo Química Arena for the second leg of the round of 16. In Argentina, the teams drew 0-0.

Cruzeiro are in a similar situation and are also splitting their focus with the continental tournament. Because of that, this Sunday’s match could feature changes on both teams, which will need to manage their squads amid the season’s decisive fixtures.

Before thinking about the knockout stage, however, Corinthians have the opportunity to considerably improve their situation in the Brasileirão. A win against a direct rival could take Timão from 32 to 35 points and, depending on the round’s results, put the team inside the G5.

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