Corinthians Aim for Semifinal Spot in Sudamericana Against Fortaleza
Corinthians, bolstered by a series of signings including Memphis Depay, will seek to secure their place in the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana this Tuesday against Fortaleza, following a 2-0 victory in the first leg.
Surprisingly, the São Paulo team arrives as favorites for the match, despite currently sitting in the relegation zone in the Brasileirao after a disastrous start to the season. However, club officials have reacted with a flurry of signings in recent months, including Spanish player Héctor Hernández, Venezuelan José Martínez, and Peruvian André Carrillo.
Of course, the addition of Memphis Depay, the former Barcelona and Atlético Madrid player, stands out as the team's great hope under manager Ramón Díaz.
The positive results began to show last week in the Sudamericana with the win over Fortaleza, marked by goals from Igor Coronado and Yuri Alberto. This good momentum extended to the league, where Corinthians triumphed 3-0 over Atlético Goianiense, featuring Depay's debut, during which he played 23 minutes and created opportunities but did not score.
On the other hand, Fortaleza heads into the clash bearing the weight of the defeat at home in the first leg, where they were overwhelmed by Corinthians' attacks. However, Juan Pablo Vojvoda's squad has had a strong league season, currently sitting in third place, and recently crushed Bahia 4-1.
Unfortunately for Fortaleza, they will be without midfielder Lucas Sasha, forward Moisés, defender Bruno Pacheco, and goalkeeper Santos due to injuries.