Corinthians: midfielders eye bigger role under Diniz after World Cup break | OneFootball

Corinthians' squad returns this Thursday (25) with a focus on getting back to work for the rest of the season. Those who were in good form want to keep their starting spots, but some players are looking to regain space within the team.

Since Fernando Diniz arrived, some players have improved and stood out, as is the case with Rodrigo Garro and Kayke (before his injury), but on the other hand, names like Matheus Pereira and Charles have had little playing time. While the Terrão academy product played only six matches under the new coach, the No. 35 did not even step onto the field.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Agência Corinthians

Signed on loan from Fortaleza, Matheus Pereira arrived at Timão in good form and played 19 matches in the first half of the season. His start under Dorival Júnior was good, and he even had an interesting run in the starting lineup, but after spending some time out due to a thigh injury, his performances dropped off, and he played only six matches under Diniz.

Charles, meanwhile, is on the list of players who have featured the least for Corinthians this season. In total, there were 11 matches (8 as a starter), totaling 694 minutes for the player in 2026. After a right heel injury that kept him sidelined for more than a month, he was no longer used. He was only included in the squad for the matches against Atlético (Brasileirão), Platense (Libertadores), and Grêmio (Brasileirão), but did not come on in any of them.

Timão on the field

After the break for the World Cup, Corinthians return to action on July 22, when they face Remo at Neo Química Arena in the 19th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The match will be played at Neo Química Arena in Itaquera and could help Timão move even further away from the bottom of the league table.

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