Soccer

Speed up! Corinthians seeks Dorival Júnior, ex-Flamengo, as coach in 2025 - understand

Amid the search for a new coach after the departure of Ramón Díaz, the São Paulo club is intensifying negotiations with the coach who is still in São Paulo's sights

Corinthians rushes to close a deal with Dorival Júnior after Tite's refusal. São Paulo also wants a coach. See behind the scenes of the negotiation. (Photo/ CBF)
Corinthians rushes to close a deal with Dorival Júnior after Tite's refusal. São Paulo also wants a coach. See behind the scenes of the negotiation. (Photo/ CBF)

23 Abr 2025 | 12:01 |

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With the recent departure of Ramón Díaz, Corinthians has stepped up its efforts to sign a new coach. The most prominent name on the club's radar is Dorival Júnior, former coach of the Brazilian National Team and winner of the Copa do Brasil with Flamengo in 2022. The board wants an experienced name to reorganize the team in the middle of the season and considers Dorival the most prepared for the challenge.




TIMÃO RESUMES CONTACT AFTER TITE WITHDRAWS



Talks with Dorival were resumed after Tite, who was initially tipped to take over the position, decided to interrupt his career due to health issues. The sudden withdrawal took the board by surprise and accelerated plan B. The coach, who had also worked for Mengão, was called to a meeting that was considered informal, but which evolved in a more concrete way than expected.



SAO PAULO ENTERS THE COMPETITION FOR THE COACH


Corinthians' movement has gained a new challenge: São Paulo's entry into the competition. Even with Luis Zubeldía in charge, Tricolor Paulista is monitoring the situation and evaluating the possibility of bringing back Dorival, who left a good impression in his last stint at the club before joining the national team. The information was revealed by journalist Samir Carvalho and worries the directors of Parque São Jorge.



Although rumors indicate that the meeting between Dorival and Corinthians representatives was only to present the project, new information indicates otherwise. Fabinho Soldado, the club's football executive, is said to have met with the coach with the aim of sealing the deal. Corinthians is even said to be willing to offer a higher salary than that paid to Ramón Díaz.


Direct competition with São Paulo has put extra pressure on the board led by Augusto Melo. The internal assessment is that the club needs to act quickly to avoid the risk of losing a coach who has already shown that he is willing to listen to proposals and who knows the inside story of Brazilian football well. According to Jorge Nicola, Dorival Júnior would not have liked to know that he was only approached after Tite's refusal. The coach expected to be seen as the first choice, especially considering his recent resume and the impact he has had in leading teams such as Mais Querido and São Paulo itself.



Soccer

Former Flamengo player is the favorite to command Arturo Vidal's Colo-Colo

The Chilean club where the midfielder plays is looking for a new coach and the champion for Mengão is in the running to get the job.

Former Flamengo player, Zé Ricardo could be Arturo Vidar's coach at Colo-Colo, in Chile - Photo: Reproduction/Flamengo
Former Flamengo player, Zé Ricardo could be Arturo Vidar's coach at Colo-Colo, in Chile - Photo: Reproduction/Flamengo

06 Set 2025 | 22:00 |

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A Rio de Janeiro champion with Flamengo in 2017, coach Zé Ricardo may be close to returning to the South American stage. He's participating in a selection process to take over Colo-Colo in Chile, a team whose star midfielder Arturo Vidal, who won the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores with Flamengo in 2022, is among the highlights.


Zé Ricardo, ex-Flamengo, about Colo-Colo, by Arturo Vidal: "I participated in the first stage"
ZÉ RICARDO IS IN THE DISPUTE


Without a club since leaving Criciúma, Zé Ricardo has already advanced to the first stage of the selection process: "I participated in the first stage, which was the presentation of my resume. Then there was a cut, and only five remained. I was invited to give a presentation , which I did, and now we await the next stage, which is the proposal. I'm happy, because it's not easy: in Chile, there's no tradition of Brazilian coaches," he told the Chilean newspaper As.


If the deal goes through, the Brazilian will replace Jorge Almirón, formerly of Boca Juniors, who was dismissed in August: "Just being at this stage is a great honor. I have my fingers crossed. I know it's a difficult choice, because Colo-Colo is a great and traditional club," added Zé Ricardo.

TRAJECTORY: RISE AT FLAMENGO AND LATER CHALLENGES


Zé Ricardo experienced his initial peak at Flamengo , where he won the 2017 Carioca Championship and led the team to third place in the 2016 Brasileirão , returning the club to the Copa Libertadores after three years. However, the early exit in the group stage of the continental tournament brought intense pressure, culminating in his departure.

Since then, the coach has had stints at Vasco, Botafogo, Internacional, Cruzeiro, and other mid-tier clubs, without recapturing his early brilliance . Now, Colo-Colo presents a chance to regain his place at a continental giant. Vidal's Chilean club is the only one in the country to win the Copa Libertadores, in 1991.



Soccer

World champion praises Xabi Alonso's treatment of Vini Jr, former Flamengo player

The coach has managed to get the Mengão player back to playing at a high level at Real Madrid and the Brazilian star defends his stance.

A Flamengo product, Vini Jr has had great performances at Real Madrid, called up by Xabi Alonso - Photo: Reproduction/Real Madrid
A Flamengo product, Vini Jr has had great performances at Real Madrid, called up by Xabi Alonso - Photo: Reproduction/Real Madrid

06 Set 2025 | 21:00 |

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2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo approved of how Xabi Alonso has handled his relationship with Vini Jr. at Real Madrid. In an interview with Betfair, the former player commented on the Spanish coach's decision to leave the Flamengo-born striker on the bench for the second round of La Liga against Real Oviedo .


Rivaldo on Xabi Alonso's action: "It was a strategy to get the best out of Vini Jr"


For Rivaldo, the decision wasn't a punishment, but rather a strategy to boost the number 7's performance: "I don't see it as a punishment. It was a strategy to get the best out of Vinícius . It's a way to make him grow even more ," the five-time world champion emphasized.


FIELD RESPONSE

Alonso's gamble quickly paid off. In the 3-0 victory over Oviedo, Vini Jr. came on in the second half and made his mark. In the following round, he found the net again against Mallorca , confirming his strong start to the season.


Rivaldo also praised the arrival of the new Real Madrid manager and his relationship with the Brazilian: " Xabi is a great coach, but he was also a great player . He knows exactly what someone like Vinícius thinks and feels. Sometimes you have to make adjustments, even with the stars," he concluded.

VINI JR'S PROMISING START

After ending last season below expectations, Vini Jr. started this season on a high note. In three La Liga rounds, he has two goals and one assist, contributing to half of Real Madrid's goals. Without being called up for the FIFA international break , the striker remained in Spain and remains focused on the rest of the season. The Merengues' next match will be on September 13th, against Real Sociedad, away from home, in the fourth round of the Spanish Championship.


Soccer

The president of Estudiantes, Flamengo's rival, blasts Conmebol

Juan Sebástian Verón, idol and current president of the La Plata club, which faces Mengão in the Libertadores, does not forgive the entity's decision

Juan Sebástian Verón, president of Estudiantes, Flamengo's next opponent, blasts Conmebol - Photo: Reproduction/Estudiantes
Juan Sebástian Verón, president of Estudiantes, Flamengo's next opponent, blasts Conmebol - Photo: Reproduction/Estudiantes

06 Set 2025 | 20:00 |

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Flamengo already knows its next opponent in the Copa Libertadores : Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG), in the quarterfinals. Even before the ball kicked off, the president of the Argentine club and idol Juan Sebastián Verón took to social media to criticize CONMEBOL, following Independiente's exclusion from the Copa Sudamericana.


Estudiantes president Verón on Conmebol: "They chose the easiest option"


"They chose the easy option. It's very difficult to understand how they came to this decision ... and I don't condone any kind of violence, but this is all very unfair," criticized the president of Estudiantes de La Plata .


WHY WAS INDEPENDIENTE ELIMINATED FROM THE SOUTH AMERICANA?

The punishment came after Independiente fans got into a fight with Universidad de Chile supporters. They invaded the visiting team's section, stole banners , threw bombs, and set fire to objects.


Given the seriousness of the case, Conmebol decided to exclude the club from the competition and apply a fine of 250 thousand dollars (approximately R$ 1.3 million) , in addition to a punishment of seven games within Conmebol with closed doors, in addition to another seven as a visitor without the right to fans.

DATES FOR FLAMENGO X ESTUDIANTES IN THE LIBERTADORES

In the quarterfinals, Flamengo and Estudiantes will face off in two decisive matches . The first will be on September 18th at the Maracanã Stadium. The second leg is scheduled for the 25th at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata.

Quarterfinal matches

  • September 18th – Flamengo vs. Estudiantes – 9:30 p.m. – Maracanã
  • 25/09 – Estudiantes x Flamengo – 9:30 pm – Jorge Luis Hirschi
  • (Brasília time)



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