Gabriel Paulista shines for Corinthians, intensifying the battle in defence | OneFootball

Reinforcement for this season, the defender Gabriel Paulista is becoming one of the main pieces in the Corinthians squad. Seeking to establish himself as a starter, the 35-year-old player participated in 10 of Timão's 15 games this season and has delivered good performances in the black and white jersey.

Announced at the beginning of the year, Gabriel Paulista faced challenges to secure a starting position in his first games for Corinthians. The former Valencia defender encountered starters Gustavo Henrique and André Ramalho, who were an important part of the Copa do Brasil title last season.

However, Gabriel Paulista was given opportunities and stood out in both areas of the field. According to Sofascore data, the defender has accumulated 44 defensive actions in the 10 games he played, excelling with 23 aerial duels won and 10 interceptions.

On the offensive side of the field, Corinthians' reinforcement proved decisive in the early games. In the Supercopa do Brasil against Flamengo, he scored his first goal wearing the Timão jersey. Besides the goal that secured a trophy, he also found the net against Red Bull Bragantino.

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Intense competition in the defensive system

Gabriel Paulista's good performances have intensified the competition for a starting spot in Corinthians' defense. Alongside Gustavo Henrique, the captain and absolute starter of Timão, André Ramalho, Gabriel Paulista, and JP Tchoca are competing for the other defender position.

Despite the possibility of not being an absolute starter, Gabriel Paulista is expected to receive significant minutes this season. Given the tight schedule, the number of defenders could become an asset for Dorival Júnior this season.

Upcoming Corinthians matches

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