Corinthians in Difficult Moments: Preparation for the Crucial Match in the Libertadores

Corinthians are facing one of the most important matches of the year, but not without receiving criticism from their own fans. After losing to Chapecoense by 2 to a 1 on last Sunday (6), the stands at Neo Química Arena were taken over by chants of “shameless team.” The pressure only keeps building.

Challenging Road to the Libertadores

Fans, already thinking about the matchup with Estudiantes, which will take place next Wednesday (9), at 21h30 (Brasília time), made it clear that the focus now is on the Libertadores. And, let’s be honest, the home defeat to Chapecoense was a chance for renewal—to end that winless run in Brasileirão and ease the pressure on the team. But with that setback, Timão heads to Argentina with a far from encouraging record of four matches without a win in the competition.

The bad run began in 9 of August, when they won against Red Bull Bragantino away from home. Since then, they have suffered defeats to Cruzeiro, Coritiba, Santos, and, of course, to Chapecoense itself. Of those, three took place at Neo Química Arena, which is extremely worrying!

To give you an idea, in the 22th round of the Championship, Corinthians were just one point behind G5. Now, four rounds later, that gap has grown to 11 points. And with relegation looming—only seven points ahead of Vasco, who are first in the critical zone—the situation has fans quite uneasy.

Acknowledging the Mistakes

Matheus Bidu, who scored the only Corinthians goal in the match against Chapecoense, said the team had chances but failed to take advantage of them. He pointed out the need to stay calm and focus on the clash in Argentina:

“We are fully aware that we can give more on the pitch. We’re hot-headed because of the match and the unfavorable result. We need to get home, cool our heads, and work twice as hard.” — Matheus Bidu

Honestly, this moment is not easy. Beyond the sporting issues, the club is dealing with financial setbacks, with salaries and image rights in arrears. However, Matheus also asked that these concerns stay off the field:

“Everyone is aware of the duty that needs to be fulfilled. But when we step onto the pitch, we have to put all concerns aside. Our focus is to give everything for Corinthians, bring positive results, and bring joy to the entire fanbase.” — Matheus Bidu

Hope with Important Returns

But not everything is bad news! For the match against Estudiantes, Corinthians will be able to count on some important returns: goalkeeper Hugo Souza, defender Gabriel Paulista, and midfielder Raniele will be back, since they have served their suspensions. On the other hand, the situation of midfielder André and striker Yuri Alberto is concerning; both are recovering from injuries and may not be able to get ready in time to travel.

So, if Timão wants to reverse this complicated scenario, it’s time to play with grit and focus to bring good results in the Libertadores!