Rio de Janeiro, Feb 16 (IANS): Brazil international midfielder Elias is set to return for Corinthians this week as the club kick off their Copa Libertadores campaign against Cobresal of Chile.

Fresh from a comfortable 2-0 victory over city rivals Sao Paulo this past weekend, the Brazilian league champions are looking to shake off the mass exodus that has shaken the club during the off-season, reports Xinhua.

Gil, Ralf, Jadson, Renato Augusto, Malcom and Vagner Love have all left the Timao, as coach Tite looks to instil some stability ahead of their opener in South Americas's premier club competition.

The manager has however confirmed the 30-year-old's presence. Elias trained separately from the rest of the group on Monday prior to the club officially registering their 30-man squad for the Libertadores competition.

The club left Sao Paulo for Santiago, Chile, on Monday afternoon. The players will train in the Chilean capital on Tuesday before heading to El Salvador on Wednesday, the day of the game.

In addition, Corinthians have also announced the signing of Paraguayan central defender Balbuena from Libertad. The player will sign a three-year contract with the club.