Dida returned to Milan for the 2001–02 season, for which he was later suspended by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for his role in a false-passport scandal and therefore loaned back to Corinthians. He made only eight Série A appearances as the deputy to established first-choice Doni, but began a sustained high run of form in winning the Campeonato Paulista, the Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship, and 2002 Copa do Brasil with the "Timão".