Corinthians and Atlético-MG meet on Sunday at 18:30 in the 17th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, a game Fernando Diniz described as a “final de Copa do Mundo.” The match will be played at Neo Química Arena, with Premiere showing it live and ge following the action in real time.
Corinthians go into the night with 18 points and a 37% success rate in Série A, a total that leaves little room for another misstep as they try to build comfort before the national calendar pause in June and July. At an earlier stage of the season, the club was eliminated from the Conmebol Libertadores and shifted its focus fully to the Brasileirão, and Sunday is the latest test of that choice.
Diniz is expected to send out Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, Gabriel Paulista, Gustavo Henrique and Matheus Bidu; Raniele, Carrillo, Breno Bidon and Garro; Lingard and Yuri Alberto. Gabriel Paulista is back in the league after serving a suspension in the loss to Botafogo, and Memphis Depay may also be available after two months recovering from injury. Diniz listed Vitinho, João Pedro Tchoca, Kayke and Hugo as out.
Atlético-MG arrive after beating Cienciano in the Copa Sul-Americana and Mirassol in the Brasileirão, results that have given the team some momentum before a difficult road trip. Their probable lineup has Everson; Natanael, Ruan Tressoldi, Júnior Alonso and Renan Lodi; Alan Franco, Maycon and Bernard or Victor Hugo; Cuello, Alan Minda and Cassierra. Victor Hugo has recovered from injury and is competing for a place in midfield, while Patrick, Índio and Scarpa are ruled out. Eduardo Domínguez said he did not lose any player for the match.
The game also carries a referee crew led by Rafael Rodrigo Klein, with Rafael da Silva Alves and Anne Kesy Gomes de Sá as assistants, Gustavo Ervino Bauermann as fourth official and Paulo Renato Moreira da Silva Coelho on VAR. Corinthians enter the match outside the relegation zone after Santos lost to Grêmio on Saturday, which gives the club a little breathing room, but not much. Atlético-MG, meanwhile, are still trying to improve a 19,05% away record, and the next two games will help determine how they reach the pause for the World Cup. That is what gives Sunday’s match its edge: both teams have reasons to believe they can move forward, and both have enough to lose if they do not.
