Corinthians switch focus, head into Brasileirão round with midfield doubts | OneFootball

Corinthians switch focus, head into Brasileirão round with midfield doubts | OneFootball

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Icon: Gazeta Esportiva.com

Gazeta Esportiva.com

·10 de fevereiro de 2026

Corinthians switch focus, head into Brasileirão round with midfield doubts

Imagem do artigo:Corinthians switch focus, head into Brasileirão round with midfield doubts

Corinthians has already turned the page after the defeat in the derby against Palmeiras, in the seventh round of the Campeonato Paulista, and has started preparations for the next round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, in which they will face Red Bull Bragantino. For this match, the coaching staff has some initial doubts in the midfield.

The main doubt for Timão in this clash is André Carrillo. The Peruvian was absent from the Derby last Sunday due to discomfort in the adductor muscle of his left leg.


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According to Gazeta Esportiva, Carrillo did not train with his teammates last Monday. The midfielder continued treatment for his injury and, therefore, his presence is not confirmed for the Paulista duel scheduled for this Thursday.

In the absence of the Peruvian, coach Dorival Júnior chose to give Matheus Pereira an opportunity in the derby against Palmeiras. However, the new signing for the black-and-white team was booked in the first half and had a discreet performance, being substituted at the 30th minute of the second half.

Reinforcement, but not quite

Another doubt for the match against Red Bull Bragantino is José Martínez. After missing Corinthians’ preseason due to the process of reissuing his Venezuelan passport, the midfielder finally returned to Brazil and reported back to CT Dr. Joaquim Grava last Saturday.

However, Martínez returned to Corinthians with an injury. The player reported back with pain in his left knee and had exams scheduled for last Monday. The club, however, had not released details about the player’s condition by the time this article was published.

Midfielder’s situation

The player traveled to Venezuela to reissue his passport during the holidays. However, during this period, there was a U.S. military attack that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, which caused delays in the functioning of the country’s public services.

Because of this, Martínez was only able to apply for his new passport on January 13. Corinthians understands the bureaucratic issues, but believes the player could have started the process last year. The club is considering the possibility of applying a punishment to the midfielder, since the delay caused discomfort among the Corinthians board and coaching staff.

During his absence, the midfielder missed numerous training sessions and eight matches for Timão. Martínez, of course, will need to resume work with the group before being considered for matches again. He will also be pushed to the back of the line in the competition for a spot on the team.

Plans changed?

Sunday’s defeat in the Derby should not change Dorival Júnior’s plans regarding squad management—at least that’s what the coach assured in a press conference. Corinthians is still not qualified for the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista.

Timão has two matches this week. First, they host Red Bull Bragantino on Thursday in the Brasileiro. Then, they visit São Bernardo on Sunday, seeking a spot in the Paulista.

With the current doubts in midfield, the coaching staff is considering making some changes, even if only minor ones, to maintain squad rotation and, consequently, avoid excessive player fatigue.

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll think about what to do, what to carry out. I won’t change what I had planned for the upcoming games. I’ll try to stick to what I had in mind, because I believe in and trust all the athletes here,” Dorival emphasized.

Upcoming Corinthians matches

  1. Corinthians vs. Red Bull Bragantino (third round of the Campeonato Brasileiro)
  2. Date and time: 02/12 (Thursday), at 8:00 PM (Brasília time)
  3. Location: Neo Química Arena, São Paulo (SP)
  • São Bernardo vs. Corinthians (eighth round of the Campeonato Paulista)
  • Date and time: 02/15 (Sunday), at 8:30 PM (Brasília time)
  • Location: Estádio Primeiro de Maio, São Bernardo (SP)

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

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