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Corinthians sack manager Fernando Diniz after 2-1 defeat to Internacional

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DSBy Diego Santana•October 8, 2026•Sources: Folha de S.Paulo

Internacional defeated Corinthians 2-1 at the Beira-Rio stadium on Wednesday, pushing the São Paulo side closer to the Brasileirão relegation zone and sealing the immediate dismissal of head coach Fernando Diniz. The defeat in Porto Alegre was the club's seventh consecutive league loss, prompting the board to act minutes after the final whistle.

Tactically, Diniz's trademark build-up style proved fatal on the pitch. By crowding players onto one flank to construct short passes from the back, Corinthians left gaping spaces behind their full-backs, allowing Internacional to strike on fast transitions right from the opening whistle and hit the woodwork three times.

Corinthians football executive Marcelo Paz announced the firing inside the stadium dressing room. "A decision had to be made. We need a spark, we need to get back to picking up points and dominating at home. Unfortunately, that was not happening. It is a decision taken by myself and the president," Paz told reporters, adding that the club is moving quickly to hire a replacement ahead of Sunday's derby.

Diniz departs with a 47% win rate across 34 matches, recording 13 wins, nine draws, and 12 losses since taking charge in April. The downward spiral in the league left Corinthians stuck on 32 points, compounding earlier exits from both the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals.

In a brief official statement, the club thanked the coaching staff for their work and wished them success in their careers. Corinthians management now races against time to appoint a new manager to halt the club's slide toward the drop zone.

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