After two seasons, Corinthians back in Brasileirão U20 quarter-finals | OneFootball

Corinthians are back in the knockout stage of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship. Even after losing 1-0 to Juventude on Wednesday afternoon in Caxias do Sul, Timãozinho secured a place in the quarterfinals of the national competition for the first time since 2023.

The team coached by William Batista finished the first phase in eighth place, with 29 points from 19 matches. The black-and-white side’s campaign featured eight wins, five draws, and five losses, along with 31 goals scored and 25 conceded. With qualification secured, Corinthians will now face Palmeiras in the knockout round.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

The club from Parque São Jorge depended only on itself to confirm qualification. A win over Juventude would have guaranteed a spot without needing to follow other results. However, the defeat forced Timãozinho to hope for Flamengo to slip up, and Flamengo ended up drawing with Avaí and missing out on the G8.

The return to the knockout stage represents an important step for the category, which had not reached the national tournament’s knockout rounds for two seasons. Corinthians’ last appearance in the quarterfinals came in 2023, when the team produced one of its best campaigns in the competition.

In that edition, Timãozinho finished the first phase in second place in Group A and advanced to the quarterfinals to face Grêmio. The team from Rio Grande do Sul was beaten twice, both times by a 2-1 scoreline, with striker Giovane standing out after reinforcing the under-20 squad during the decisive stretch.

The run, however, ended in the semifinal against Palmeiras. In the first meeting, their rivals won 5-1 and all but secured qualification. In the return leg, played at Neo Química Arena, Alviverde won again, this time 1-0, eliminating Corinthians.

Since then, the club has faced difficulties in the national competition. In 2024, Timãozinho finished the first phase in 18th place with 18 points, posting one of its worst campaigns in the tournament. In 2025, the team again battled near the bottom of the table and ended its run in 15th place, only five points above the relegation zone.

This year’s qualification, therefore, marks Corinthians’ recovery on the national stage in this category. Despite the stumble against Juventude, the black-and-white team finished the first phase among the country’s top eight and will play in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship knockout stage again after two years away.

Now, the challenge will be precisely against Palmeiras, the opponent responsible for Corinthians’ last elimination in the competition. The quarterfinal clash pits two historic rivals against each other and gives Timãozinho the chance to seek revenge and stay alive in the fight for the national title.

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