Zakaria Labyad's Tribute to Memphis Depay After Crucial Draw

In Montevideo, Zakaria Labyad didn’t just salvage a result. He fired a message across a continent.

The Moroccan midfielder’s late equaliser against Penarol secured a crucial draw, but it was his celebration that really crackled with meaning. Fingers jammed into his ears, Memphis Depay-style, Labyad made it clear who he was thinking about as he wheeled away from goal.

This wasn’t imitation. It was a campaign.

A goal, a gesture, a statement

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Labyad left no room for doubt.

"Yes, of course [the celebration was a tribute to Memphis]," he said, before turning his interview into a pointed plea aimed squarely at the Corinthians hierarchy.

"It's very important for the club to take the next step so that he stays with the club. We've seen what he's done in the last two years with the players, for the club, winning three trophies, helping them avoid relegation. He did a great job for the team, so for the club, for us players, we would love for him to stay at Corinthians."

One goal in Uruguay, and Labyad was already thinking about boardrooms in Sao Paulo.

He spoke not as an individual, but as the voice of a dressing room that has rallied around its star forward. The message was blunt: Memphis Depay has changed this club. Now the club must show it is willing to keep pace with that change.

A Dutch star, a ticking clock

Depay’s impact in Brazil has gone far beyond highlight reels. Since landing in South America, the former Barcelona attacker has dragged Corinthians through a turbulent period, blending celebrity status with sheer competitive edge.

• Three trophies.
• A great escape from relegation.
• A cultural reset in the squad.

That kind of influence comes at a price, and time is starting to squeeze. His current deal runs only until the end of July, a hard deadline that has pushed Corinthians’ directors into overdrive.

The club is locked in talks with three external commercial partners, trying to stitch together the financial backing needed to underwrite a new, lucrative contract. Without that support, keeping a marquee name of Depay’s stature becomes a far more complicated equation.

The players have made their stance public. The numbers men now have to find a way.

Rehab, risk and a brutal schedule

All this plays out while Depay himself is stuck in a different kind of race.

His season has already been chopped apart by injury. A long spell in the treatment room since late March followed what the club described as a complex physical transition period. Just as he edged closer to full training, another bump in the road appeared: a minor muscular strain in his left leg during Monday’s session.

The medical team has downplayed the issue, describing the imbalance as normal for an elite player returning from extended inactivity. Still, it underlines the fine margins Corinthians must manage.

They are heading into a punishing stretch: three physically demanding matches crammed into a single week. First comes Atletico-MG at home in the Brasileirao on Sunday, May 24. Then a decisive Copa Libertadores group-stage clash with Platense. After that, a trip to face Gremio on May 30.

It is the kind of run where a fully fit Depay could tilt the entire mood of the club. For now, he remains focused on clearing the final hurdles of his rehabilitation, working to rejoin a squad that needs his edge in both domestic and continental battles.

A club at a crossroads

So the picture is clear.

On the pitch, Corinthians fight for points and progress. Off it, executives scramble to construct a multi-million-pound renewal package. In the middle stands Memphis Depay, the player whose presence has helped define this era.

Labyad’s goal in Montevideo earned a draw. His celebration, and his words afterwards, demanded a decision.

The squad has nailed its colours to the mast. The fans know what they want. The question now hangs over the boardroom at Parque São Jorge: can Corinthians match the ambition of the man who helped drag them away from the brink—and are they prepared to pay the price to keep their talisman in black and white beyond July?