Matheuzinho likely to miss Derby for Corinthians after injury scare | OneFootball

The Corinthians received good news this Friday. Right-back Matheuzinho, who left the game against Athletico-PR with pain in his right thigh, underwent tests at the Dr. Joaquim Grava training center and no injury was detected.

The athlete had already been evaluated last Thursday, the day after the match, but underwent more thorough tests this morning. The Timão only detected an overload in the posterior muscle of the right thigh.

Despite the relief, Matheuzinho is expected to miss the Corinthians' match against Palmeiras this Sunday, in the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. Coach Dorival Júnior fears aggravating the problem and losing the wing-back for a longer period.

Matheuzinho gave a scare in the game against Athletico-PR, for the Copa do Brasil (Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians)

Lack of options

The likely absence of the starter in the Derby is quite a headache for Dorival. Currently, the coach does not have substitutes for the position in the squad. The only options are Félix Torres and Charles, who have already played in the position in an improvised manner.

The youth player João Vitor ‘Jacaré’ has been training with the professionals but is not expected to get a chance yet. The "Son of Terrão" is still in the process of renewing his contract with the club and, in Dorival's view, is not ready yet.

Derby on Sunday

Corinthians has one more day of preparation for the classic against Palmeiras. The match is scheduled for 6:30 PM (Brasília time) this Sunday, at the Neo Química Arena.

Timão arrives boosted by two consecutive victories this season, both away from home. The team is currently in 11th place in the standings, with 25 points earned.

The Derby also marks the reunion between the rivals less than a month after the clash in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. On that occasion, the alvinegro side came out on top with a 3-0 aggregate score, winning both games of the duel.

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