Corinthians medical shake-up after mystery sidelining | OneFootball

Corinthians announced the departure of chief medical officer Ana Carolina Ramos e Côrte on Monday, a day after coach Dorival Júnior publicly expressed frustration over right-back Matheuzinho's surprise absence from the squad to face Santos. The club thanked Côrte for her service and wished her well in future endeavors, marking the end of her tenure as the head of their medical department, a position she had assumed earlier this year.

The timing of Côrte’s exit has drawn attention, following Dorival’s candid post-match remarks. He explained his confusion regarding Matheuzinho's unavailability: “We had a serious problem with Matheuzinho, I’ll try to find out what really happened. He traveled for the midweek game and then didn’t train. It was a surprise to see him ruled out from Friday and Saturday's training sessions, and unsurprisingly not available for Sunday’s game,” Dorival said after Corinthians’ 1-0 derby win.

Matheuzinho, initially rested during the 1-1 draw against América de Cali on 6 May, was cleared to play against Mirassol on 10 May and Racing on 15 May. Later in the week leading up to the derby, however, he was diagnosed with a thigh injury, which the club stated had led to immediate treatment. Corinthians have yet to disclose either the severity of the injury or a return timeline.

Côrte joined Corinthians in 2018 and was the first woman to lead a men’s football medical department in Brazil. Previously, she spent over a decade as health manager for the Brazilian Olympic Committee, contributing to athlete preparation for the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Her Corinthians tenure included implementing updated medical protocols and leading the department through several high-profile player injury situations. In a statement after leaving the club, Côrte said she remains proud of her work and expressed hope for ongoing gender equality in football.

Her leadership also oversaw protocol revisions in response to incidents such as the failed medical detection of a chronic knee issue in midfielder Palacios, a situation that attracted internal scrutiny earlier this year and prompted more stringent pre-signing exams for new arrivals.

Côrte’s exit leaves Corinthians seeking new stability in a key backroom department just as the squad faces its own injury challenges. Dorival Júnior’s side, already operating with reduced options, now must navigate both on-field and off-field disruptions as the season gathers pace.

Source: Globo, UOL