Corinthians boss and midfielder eye crucial 2025 Copa do Brasil run

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Central do Timão

·23 de outubro de 2025

Corinthians boss and midfielder eye crucial 2025 Copa do Brasil run

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

In the late afternoon of Wednesday, October 22, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), at Granja Comary in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro, drew the home and away legs for the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil. Corinthians will face Cruzeiro and will play the second leg at Neo Química Arena. The provisional dates for the matches are December 10 and 14.

Representing Corinthians at the national entity’s event, coach Dorival Júnior and midfielder Maycon spoke to the press and previewed the clash against the team from Minas Gerais in the national knockout competition. The Corinthians midfielder was asked about the importance of playing the second match in Itaquera with the support of the fans and about a supposed favoritism in the duel precisely because of the home advantage.

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Photo: Nelson Terme/CBF

“With the strength of our fans, it's an important decision for us. We know the strength we have, of course everything also depends on the first match, which will be difficult, and we have to play a great game. We have to play two great matches to secure this qualification, but I think playing the last match at home is also important, even for what I said, our fans are very important and we know we can count on them. It will be important for this decision.”

“Favoritism is a very strong word, these are two very strong, very big teams with their own strategies and style of play. I think deciding at home is, in my opinion, something important, especially because of the fans we have, but I don't consider it favoritism. We have to keep our feet on the ground and work because these will be two very important matches. We have the chance to reach the final, but we have to play two great games to get there,” he began.

Next, he highlighted coach Dorival Júnior’s winning history in the Copa do Brasil. The coach has already won the competition three times: with Santos (2010), Flamengo (2022) – against Corinthians in the final – and São Paulo (2023). Leading Corinthians in this edition, the team won all six matches without conceding a goal, eliminating Novorizontino (0 x 1 and 1 x 0), Palmeiras (1 x 0 and 2 x 0), and Athletico-PR (0 x 1 and 2 x 0) in the third round, round of 16, and quarterfinals, respectively.

“It's important, I think Dorival is a super successful coach, especially in the Copa do Brasil, I think the run he’s had in the Copa do Brasil is one that deserves respect. That’s something we’ll use to our advantage as well, I think having a super successful coach, especially in recent years, he even won a title against us and we know how important he was for Flamengo on that occasion. Now he’s on our side and we know his ability to help us at this moment as well,” he continued.

Maycon is on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine, until the end of the current season and still has an uncertain future at the club for 2026. It’s worth noting that Corinthians has a debt with the Ukrainian club that is under judgment at CAS, a FIFA body, of just over 1 million euros, about R$ 6 million, due to unpaid loans in 2023 and 2024.

In total, there are 238 matches – across two spells (2016-2018 and 2022-2025) wearing the Corinthians shirt (181 as a starter), with 114 wins, 66 draws, and 58 losses – a little over 57% success rate. In total, he has scored 16 goals and won five titles: Campeonato Brasileiro (2017) and Campeonato Paulista (2017, 2018, and 2025).

The player was asked if a possible final could mean his last match for Corinthians, since the Copa do Brasil will close the Brazilian football calendar in 2025: “No, we’re talking. I have a contract until the end of the year, but we’re talking. Nothing has been decided yet. God willing, it won’t be (my last game), but it could be, it could happen and we have to be prepared for that too.”

Finally, he was asked about the reunion with goalkeeper Cássio, one of the greatest idols in Corinthians’ history, who won nine titles with the club between 2012 and 2024 and has played for Cruzeiro since the middle of last year. Maycon played with the “Giant” at Corinthians between 2016-2018 and 2022-2024. The midfielder also avoided getting into controversies regarding the turbulent political environment at Parque São Jorge.

“It will be different, I think he’s a personal friend of mine, he’s a huge winner here at the club, but in this decision, I hope the good luck is with us and we manage to qualify, God willing.”

“Focus on football, which is what we control. It’s not my place to talk about politics and the club’s problems. What I can do is go beyond the pitch and help the squad do the best possible job, help my teammates on the field, and represent Corinthians in the best way I can,” he concluded.

Dorival Júnior speaks

At Corinthians since the end of April, the coach has 13 wins, nine draws, and eight losses in charge of the team – 31 goals scored and 24 conceded. In an interview with the host of the event promoted by the CBF, the coach previewed the decisive stage of the tournament and emphasized that all four teams deserved to be where they are and stated that he expects high-level matches.

“It’s very difficult, sometimes, to single out a particular match, but it’s natural, we had a derby in our state (against Palmeiras), just as Cruzeiro played against Atlético-MG. Because of this, the competition becomes much more exciting and alive in the fans’ memory. It’s an important moment, all four teams deserved to get where they are. I’m sure we’ll put on great spectacles. I believe it’s worthy of a Copa do Brasil, renowned teams that will be very well prepared to experience important moments in the history of the competition.”

“I think these will be four classics of Brazilian football. I don’t believe there’s a considerable advantage. Naturally, the story of each match will define everything. (Léo) Jardim (Cruzeiro’s coach) said something important: we’ve already played the first match at home, we’ve already played away. I think we’ve already been through that experience. Now it’s a decisive moment, each club must be aware of what it will do, what it has to offer, and may we, God willing, have four great games, games of the highest level, especially because these are teams that, as I said, deserved it and got here naturally, knowing and facing every difficulty that came their way,” he said.

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