Athletico-PR set to face Corinthians in 2026 Brasileirão

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Central do Timão

·19 de fevereiro de 2026

Athletico-PR set to face Corinthians in 2026 Brasileirão

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the evening of this Thursday, at 7:30 PM (Brasília time), Corinthians visits Athletico-PR at Arena da Baixada, in a delayed match of the second round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. In the first two rounds, the Corinthians team had one win and one loss – three goals scored and two conceded – and, in case of victory, can rise to fifth place, depending on tiebreaker criteria.

But do you know how the Alvinegro's opponent arrives for the match? Central do Timão details Athletico-PR's situation so far this season. The team led by Odair Hellmann started the season using an alternative team in the state championship and, in recent matches, has been using a formation closer to the ideal aiming for game rhythm for the Brasileirão.

Vídeos OneFootball

Photo: Duda Matoso/Athletico-PR

In the first phase of the Paranaense, Athletico-PR was third in its group with 11 points (three wins, two draws, and one loss), qualifying for the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals, they passed Foz do Iguaçu without trouble by winning 8 x 1 on aggregate over the two matches.

In the semifinals, still ongoing, the Hurricane faced Londrina last weekend, in the first leg, at Estádio do Café, and ended in a 2 x 2 draw. The return match takes place this Sunday (22), at 4 PM (Brasília time), at Arena da Baixada. Local press information indicates that the team should be a reserve, as in the first game, due to the Brazilian Championship.

In the national competition, Athletico-PR won its two matches and, at this moment, is the only team with a 100% success rate in the championship. In the first round, a victory over Internacional, 1 x 0, at Beira. In the second match, a win against Santos, by 2 x 1, at Arena da Baixada. For the match against Alvinegro, they are expected to be lined up with: Santos, Terán, Arthur Dias, and Esquivel; Benavídez, Portilla (Luiz Gustavo), Zapelli, and Léo Derik; Mendoza, Julimar, and Viveros.

Law of the Ex:

Lucas Belezi

The match between Athletico-PR and Corinthians features two players from the opposing team who have played at Parque São Jorge. The first is defender Lucas Belezi, 22 years old. The defender was developed in the youth categories of Alvinegro and played 107 games, counting the Under-17 and 20 teams. His contract with the club ended in December 2023, and he played only one match for the professional team.

The match in question took place in 2019, when he took the field in a friendly match against Botafogo-SP. At that time, he was only 16 years old and became the youngest player to debut with the Corinthians jersey, surpassing Jô in 2003.

Stiven Mendoza

The Colombian Stiven Mendoza played for Corinthians between January 2015 and January 2026, but had a less remarkable stint at Parque São Jorge. A reserve throughout the period, he scored three goals and provided two assists in 31 matches with the Corinthians jersey (16 as a starter). He was part of the 2015 national championship-winning team. At the beginning of the following year, he was sold to Amiens, France, for $3.8 million (1 million euros at the time).

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