Corinthians youth coaches look ahead to Paulista opener | OneFootball

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the morning of this Saturday (2), Corinthians begin their journey in the Paulista Under-15 and Under-17 Championships by facing Terceiro Milênio at Estádio Alfredo Schürig, Fazendinha. The younger side takes the field at 9 a.m. (Brasília time), while the older group plays at 11 a.m. Last year, the first category fell in the state semifinals, while the second ended up being eliminated in the round of 16.

Before officially starting the season, the Under-17 side, now led by coach Guilherme Nascimento, hired at the end of 2025 to replace Raphael Laruccia, played a few friendly matches at the training center and against stronger opponents, such as Flamengo and Vasco in Rio de Janeiro. Against the Rubro-Negro, they cruised to a 5-0 win. Against the Cruz-Maltino side, however, they lost 3-2 after surrendering the lead.

Photos: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

In an interview with Corinthians TV, the coach of the Sons of Terrão spoke about the preparation for the state championship debut: “Our level of preparation and readiness for the match is good, but we will always look to improve in that regard. We have worked on the team, as well as the individual aspects, to reach the debut the way Corinthians fans like it: being competitive, seeking to take the initiative, and delivering attacking football that is enjoyable to watch,” he said.

The Paulista Under-17 Championship is made up of 92 teams, divided into 13 regionalized groups. During the first phase, the teams will face each other home and away within their groups. The top three teams from each group advance, along with the nine third-place teams with the best records.

Under-15 category

The Under-15 side is coming off a strong 2025 season (winning the Paulista Cup, Copa Votorantim, and Mina Cup) and started 2026 at the same level, as they will play in the final of the Paulista Cup in their category against Amparo Athlético Club next Thursday afternoon (7), at 4 p.m. (Brasília time). Speaking to Corinthians TV, coach Eduardo Vergueiro talked about the Sons of Terrão’s start to the year and looked ahead to the state championship opener.

“Our performances in the friendlies and in the Paulista Cup have been very good. We hope to play a great match at home so we can go for the win, which will be important at the start of the season and for our ambitions,” he commented.

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