Yuri Alberto has a grade 2 injury; Corinthians runs around in the Libertadores

The number 9 didn't even travel to Porto Alegre, where Timão will play the first game this Sunday. The return match is scheduled for Thursday, in São Paulo.

Corinthians is not working on the possibility of counting on Yuri in the return duel. Internally, the understanding is that there will not be enough time for the center forward to be fit to play.

Even with the physical history and recovery capacity considered above average, the assessment is that the deadline between the two clashes makes the player's return unfeasible. The priority of the health and performance department became different.

The focus now is to accelerate the recovery to try to make Yuri Alberto available for the Libertadores. On August 13th and 20th, Timão will face Rosario Central, from Argentina, in the round of 16 of the continental competition.

Even so, the striker's presence in the first game, in Rosário, is considered uncertain. Grade two muscle injuries usually require a recovery period of between three and six weeks.

According to sources linked to the club, any more precise forecast should only be made next week. As the injury was only diagnosed on Friday, the internal assessment is that it is still too early to establish a return date.

The medical, physical and physiological departments monitor Yuri Alberto's progress daily to define the progress of the recovery stages. The strategy is to reduce the transition time between treatment phases as much as possible.

As the injury was to the right thigh, part of the exercises are limited by mobility restrictions. Even so, the center forward will be able to carry out activities aimed at the upper limbs and other regions of the body that do not compromise the injured area.

Corinthians' recovery protocol foresees a gradual sequence of steps. The process begins with treatment, physiotherapy and internal physical activities, goes through individual work on the field, such as running around the pitch, ball exercises, partial integration into the squad, full participation in training and, finally, return to games with control of the minutes load.

This planning will also be followed by Yuri Alberto. The club's intention, however, is to accelerate the process within clinical limits, taking into account the player's physical characteristics and the sequence of decisive matches in the coming weeks.

FORCED CHANGES

Without Yuri Alberto, Englishman Jesse Lingard is the main candidate to act as a false nine against Internacional. Gui Negão appears as an alternative, but still does not inspire full confidence in Fernando Diniz's technical committee, as does Pedro Raul.

On the other hand, Matheus Bidu was once again linked after recovering from pubic pain. The full-back is available again for the match in Porto Alegre.

Rodrigo Garro also traveled to the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, despite still feeling trauma to his left foot. The tendency is for the Argentine to have his minutes monitored, as there is still no certainty about how long he will be able to remain on the field.