Corinthians defender admits poor game, rues loss to Coritiba | OneFootball

Late on Wednesday night (11th), Corinthians faced Coritiba at the Neo Química Arena, in a match valid for the fifth round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, and was defeated by a score of 2-0. The negative result left the Corinthians team in eighth place with seven points – two wins, one draw, and two losses – five goals scored and five conceded.

Right after the match, still on the pitch, defender Gabriel Paulista gave an interview to Rede Globo and lamented the negative result, admitting the team's performance was below expectations. The club from Parque São Jorge had a good start to the game, imposing themselves over their opponent, but at several moments failed to finish plays. As time went on, the opponent improved in the match and scored two goals with the two shots they had.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

“(The frustration) is big, right? Because this was a game for us to stay at the top (of the table). We worked and had plenty of days to prepare. We had possession, but we couldn't break through. Coritiba's team defended the entries into the box very well, as well as the crosses from the wings. It was not a perfect night for Corinthians. We need to learn from our mistakes. The goals we conceded didn't come from individual errors, but if we want to achieve something big at the end of the season, we can't lose games like this at home,” he said.

Gabriel Paulista was signed by Corinthians at the start of the season, after terminating his contract with Besiktas, from Turkey, where he spent two seasons. Developed in the youth teams of Taboão da Serra and Vitória, the defender left Brazil for Villarreal, in Spain. He then played for Arsenal (England), Valencia (Spain), and Atlético de Madrid (Spain), before arriving in Turkish football. A guaranteed starter in defense, so far he has played 11 matches in the Corinthians shirt and won one title: the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil, against Flamengo.

After the defeat to Coritiba at home, in the fifth match of the Brasileirão, Corinthians remains focused on the national competition. That's because, next Sunday (15th), at 4pm (Brasília time), they return to the pitch to face Santos FC at Vila Belmiro, for the sixth round of the Brazilian Championship. The Alvinegro derby is a direct clash on the table, as the rival is two points behind the Corinthians team.

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