Corinthians squad return this Thursday to start second-half prep | OneFootball

After nearly a month off, the Corinthians squad returns to training on the morning of this Thursday (25) at CT Dr. Joaquim Grava, kicking off preparations for the remainder of the 2026 season. The players are scheduled to report back at 9 a.m. (Brasília time), marking the start of the club’s midseason training period before official competitions resume.

Before the players arrived, the coaching staff led by Fernando Diniz returned to work a day earlier, on Wednesday (24). The manager, his assistants, and members of the football department met at the training center to begin planning for the coming weeks, a period considered crucial for tactical, physical, and strategic adjustments ahead of the challenges of the second half of the year.

Photos: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

In addition to Diniz, football executive Marcelo Paz, supervisor Julio Manso, administrative coordinator Thiago Ayres, and other professionals who work daily at the training center also took part in the return.

The rest period granted by the club lasted 25 days. The longer break took into account Corinthians’ packed schedule over the past few months. Unlike other Brazilian teams, Timão only finished last season in the final days of December due to the Copa do Brasil finals, significantly reducing recovery and preparation time for the start of 2026.

The expectation is that virtually the entire squad will be present for the return. The exceptions are forward Memphis Depay, who remains with the Netherlands national team for the World Cup, and midfielder André Carrillo, who will only return to Brazil on June 29 after recent commitments with the Peru national team.

The midseason training period will be Fernando Diniz’s first opportunity to work with a longer stretch of training sessions since arriving at Corinthians. So far, the coach has had to deal with an intense run of matches and little time to implement his playing ideas, a situation that should change over the next few weeks.

Corinthians’ first commitment after returning from the break will be a friendly against FC Cascavel, scheduled for July 12 at Estádio Olímpico Regional in Paraná. The match will serve as preparation for the return of the official calendar.

The return to matches worth three points will take place on July 23, when Timão hosts Remo at Neo Química Arena in the final round of the first half of the Brazilian Championship. The team currently sits tenth in the table, with 24 points.

In addition to the Brasileirão, Corinthians is still alive in the season’s two main knockout competitions. In the Copa do Brasil, their opponent in the round of 16 will be Internacional. The first leg will take place at Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, while the decisive return leg will be played in São Paulo.

In the Libertadores, the challenge will be against Argentina’s Rosario Central. The tie is for a place in the quarterfinals, and the decisive match will be at Neo Química Arena. If they advance, the club will face Estudiantes or Universidad Católica in the next round.

Off the pitch, the board will also face a decisive period. The club is seeking to balance its finances and plans to make moves in the next transfer window. Some of the squad’s main assets, such as Yuri Alberto, Breno Bidon, Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho, and André Carrillo, continue to draw interest from the market.

On the other hand, Corinthians still needs to resolve financial issues that are preventing the signing of reinforcements. The club remains under a FIFA-imposed transfer ban due to a debt related to the purchase of defensive midfielder José Martínez from Philadelphia Union of the United States.

With a schedule full of challenges ahead, this Thursday’s return marks the beginning of a phase considered strategic for Corinthians, which will look to use the training period to strengthen the team and be better prepared for the Brazilian Championship, Copa do Brasil, and Libertadores.

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