
Gazeta Esportiva.com
·28 de agosto de 2025
Memphis slams artificial pitch after Corinthians injury: "Ruins game"

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Yahoo sportsGazeta Esportiva.com
·28 de agosto de 2025
The forward Memphis Depay expressed his frustration with the synthetic turf at Ligga Arena after Corinthians' 1-0 victory over Athletico-PR on Wednesday, in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. The Dutch player took to his social media and said that the artificial field “kills the game.”
“Artificial grass kills the game. Brazil, when are you going to listen to the players?” questioned the athlete in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Memphis' statement came shortly after the possible injury of Corinthians' starting right-back, Matheuzinho. The player felt pain in the back of his right thigh in the second half of the match and had to be substituted, making way for defender Félix Torres. The team's coach, Dorival Júnior, lamented the situation.
“It’s quite concerning. We are practically losing one player every week. This has been challenging, especially since we found a way to play, and the team is improving. It will be a big loss if the injury is confirmed. But we have to find solutions as we have done every round. It’s a shame because this team could be in a different situation in the Brasileirão if we had all the players available,” said the coach in a press conference.
Returning after recovering from a thigh injury, Memphis Depay came on in the second half of the match in Curitiba but barely touched the ball. The player, in fact, suffered the recent injury in a derby against Palmeiras at Allianz Parque, which also has synthetic turf.
With the 1-0 victory, Corinthians only needs a draw in the return match to advance to the next phase of the Copa do Brasil. A loss by one goal difference takes the duel to penalties, while a defeat by two or more goals eliminates the São Paulo team. The winner of the match will face Cruzeiro or Atlético-MG in the semifinals.
The second encounter with Athletico-PR is scheduled for September 10, also at 9:30 PM (Brasília time), at Neo Química Arena.
Before that, Corinthians has nothing less than a Derby ahead. Dorival Júnior's team hosts Palmeiras this Sunday in Itaquera, for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. The classic will start at 6:30 PM.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.