Gabriel Paulista on scoring streak at Corinthians, tops Europe form | OneFootball

Corinthians found in Gabriel Paulista not only a defensive reinforcement, but also a weapon in attacking plays. The center-back scored in Timão’s victory over Red Bull Bragantino this Thursday, reaching his second goal in just seven matches this season—numbers that surpass everything he produced offensively in the last four seasons in Europe.

A self-declared Corinthians fan, Gabriel had already found the net in a memorable moment early in his journey with the club. The defender scored the opening goal in the win against Flamengo in the Supercopa do Brasil, which was won by Timão.

Goal-scoring phase

Gabriel Paulista’s strong offensive form in 2026 contrasts with what he showed in recent years in Europe. In the four seasons prior to joining Corinthians, the defender scored just two goals in 87 matches. Gabriel scored once in 26 games for Besiktas in 2024/25 and once in 23 matches in the 22/23 season, when he was still playing for Valencia.

For Corinthians, however, the scenario changed quickly. In just seven games this season, Gabriel has already matched the total number of goals he scored in that recent period, finding the net twice—once in the Supercopa do Brasil against Flamengo and once in the match against Red Bull Bragantino in the Brasileirão.

In total, across 532 matches in his career, the defender has scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists. A product of Vitória, Gabriel has played for Villarreal, Arsenal, Valencia, Atlético de Madrid, and Besiktas before joining Timão.

Next fixture

Timão’s next match is for the eighth round of the Campeonato Paulista. This Sunday, Corinthians travel to São Bernardo do Campo to face São Bernardo at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time). Dorival Jr.’s squad needs only a draw to mathematically guarantee their place in the next phase of the competition.

Match details

SÃO BERNARDO VS CORINTHIANS

Venue: Primeiro de Maio, in São Bernardo do Campo (SP) Date: February 15, 2026 (Sunday) Time: 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Referee: Not disclosed.

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