Corinthians aim to end drought and breathe in BR before Copa break | OneFootball

Corinthians take the field this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against Grêmio in Porto Alegre with a clear mission: to secure only their second away win in the Brazilian Championship.

Their only victory away from home came more than three months ago, on February 19, against Athletico-PR.

Since then, Timão have recorded four draws and three defeats away from home, with a return of just 29.17% under those circumstances. That performance contrasts with their matches at Neo Química Arena, where the team has a 58.33% return.

The biggest obstacle to the team’s progress under Fernando Diniz has been their lack of finishing. Whether at home or away, Corinthians struggle to create and finish chances, boasting the worst attack in the national championship.

They have scored just 15 goals in 17 rounds — fewer than teams currently in the relegation zone, such as Chapecoense (17) and Mirassol (18).

The club’s proximity to the relegation zone has set off alarm bells at Parque São Jorge. Currently in 15th place, Corinthians are just three points above Santos, the first club inside the bottom four. The squad’s goal is to pick up points in Porto Alegre so they can head into the calendar break in a more comfortable position.

Attack depleted with new faces

For the clash against Grêmio, viewed by the players as a true "final," Diniz will be forced to make changes in attack due to major last-minute absences:

Memphis Depay: The forward has already traveled to join the Netherlands national team and begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Jesse Lingard: The Englishman was granted permission by the board to travel to England and be with his grandfather, who has been hospitalized.

With those absences, the tendency is for 22-year-old Kaio César to be given a chance in the starting lineup after producing good performances off the bench.

"We are treating this game like a final. It’s a game that defines many things for us. Then there’s the Copa break, and we need to go into that break clear of the relegation zone," Kaio César said in an interview with Corinthians TV.

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

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