This Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Corinthians will face Grêmio in Porto Alegre with a clear objective: to secure only their second away victory in the Brazilian Championship.
The team’s lone away win came over three months ago, on February 19, against Athletico-PR.
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Since that match, Timão has managed only four draws and three losses on the road, yielding a mere 29.17% success rate in away games. This stands in stark contrast to their home performances at Neo Química Arena, where they enjoy a 58.33% return.
A significant challenge for coach Fernando Diniz has been the team’s struggle with finishing. Whether playing at home or away, Corinthians have difficulties creating and converting scoring opportunities, ranking as the lowest-scoring team in the championship.
With just 15 goals in 17 matches, they find themselves below teams currently in the relegation zone, like Chapecoense (17) and Mirassol (18).
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The club’s precarious position near the relegation zone has raised concerns at Parque São Jorge. Currently placed 15th, Corinthians are only three points ahead of Santos, who sit in the relegation area. The aim for the squad is to earn points in Porto Alegre to enter the upcoming break in a safer standing.
Attack Facing Changes
For the critical matchup against Grêmio, which players regard as a “final,” Diniz will need to adjust the attack due to significant last-minute absences:
Memphis Depay has traveled to join the Dutch national squad as he prepares for the 2026 World Cup.
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Jesse Lingard has been permitted by the board to go to England to be with his grandfather, who is currently hospitalized.
With these key players unavailable, 22-year-old Kaio César is likely to step into the starting lineup after making an impact off the bench in recent games.
“We’re treating this match as a final. It’s crucial for us, especially with the Copa break coming up. We need to go into that break safely above the relegation zone,” Kaio César stated in an interview with Corinthians TV.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.