Photo by Cortesía

Corinthians host Venezuelan side UCV who are competing in the Copa Libertadores for the first time.

Last week’s clash in Caracas was evenly contested. André Carrillo opened the scoring for the Brazilians with a lovely finish, but a João Pedro own goal 15 minutes from time ensured the first leg ended all square.

Corinthians

Corinthians enter this clash as heavy favourites and remain unbeaten in their last nine outings in all competitions, despite this, they have drawn their last three matches and will be eager to return to winning ways.

Talles Magno is the current top scorer in 2025 for Corinthians with five goals in 11 matches and will be looking to add to his tally in this one.

The fact that Timão are in the Libertadores is remarkable. With just 12 league matches to play, Corinthians sat in the drop zone of the Brasileirão and securing survival would have been a positive outcome given their position in September.

A new manager, Ramón Díaz, along with key signings—Memphis Depay, Andre Carillo, Talles Magno, Charles, Hugo Souza, Alex Santana, and Andre Ramalho—helped strengthen the squad heading into the second half of the season.

In the final 12 matches of the season, Corinthians became unstoppable, winning 10 games, drawing one, and losing just once as they climbed from 17th to seventh place. During this period, they earned four more points than any other team in the league, scoring 31 goals while conceding only 12. Under Díaz, their football has been thrilling to watch.

UCV

UCV are heavy underdogs in this tie, but with all the pressure on Corinthians, their game plan will be to frustrate the hosts. Over the weekend, they secured a 1-0 league win over Portuguesa, extending their unbeaten run to three matches.

To gain deeper insight into the Venezuelan outfit, we spoke with Jordan Florit co-founder of @FUTVEEnglish:

“Last season was very much mission accomplished for UCV as they qualified for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history, which was their stated ambition, but heavily caveated,” Florit tells Brasileirão Breakdown.

“The principal desire was to qualify directly to the group stages and it often looked likely, if not certain: they were 1st in the table for 15 of the 26 gameweeks, including for 14 consecutive rounds, they went the first half of the season unbeaten, and ultimately still finished in 2nd place, just 2 points behind Deportivo Tachira.”

“However, because of the quirks of the Apertura-Clausura format and the way teams qualified for the various Libertadores stages, it was Carabobo in 4th who took the group stage spot alongside Tachira, not UCV.”

“Although it is something I did not personally agree with, it meant that Head Coach Daniel Sasso was always being touted as a favourite for the chop,” added Florit.

“UCV were unbeaten throughout the Apertura Stage but then missed out on qualifying for the Apertura Final in the playoffs and then they didn’t qualify for the Clausura playoffs at all.

“To then finish just two points behind the Accumulated Table winners, a title that would have secured Libertadores group stage football, but not qualify themselves was a bitter pill to swallow.

“A sacking would have been kicking a man when he’s down.”

Looking ahead to UCV’s Libertadores challenge, Florit acknowledged the magnitude of the task:

“Winning in Brazil in their debut Copa Libertadores season would be a tremendous giant-killing. But this isn’t a new club,” he said.

“UCV have been part of Venezuela’s professional scene since day one and were the first ever league champions – unfortunately 9 years before the creation of the Copa Libertadores.

“Although the odds are against them, they nevertheless deserve respect for this alone; with a well-fought 1-1 draw in the first leg.

“If they can grab a result, you can put money on Juan Camilo Zapata being pivotal in the success. Although he’s Colombian, Venezuelan football has been his saving grace since Hermanos Colmenarez, then in the second tier, picked him up during COVID when he was playing amateur league in Colombia having dropped out of the professional scene through circumstance.

“Since then he has established himself as one of the league’s best players, sought after and consistently producing.”

CORINTHIANS TEAM NEWS

Corinthians rested several key players in midweek.

Raniele is recovering from an injury and Gustavo Henrique remains unavailable.

Probable Corinthians lineup

Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, André Ramalho, João Pedro, Hugo, Charles, José Martinez, André Carrillo, Rodrigo Garro, Memphis Depay, Yuri Alberto.

UCV TEAM NEWS

Manager Daniel Sass has a full squad available for this clash.

Probable UCV lineup

Miguel Silva, Kendrys Silva, Martínez, Simarra, Cumana; Gonzalez, Sole, Sosa, Zapata and Juan Cuesta, Ortiz.