Cruise e Atlético they will face each other again this Saturday (2), at 9pm (Brasília time), at Mineirão. The 14th round game of Series A of the Brazilian Championship holds reunions after the fight at the end of the Campeonato Mineiro, new chapters of the classic after Hulk’s goodbye and is crucial for the teams as the season continues.
Despite going through different times, the rivals are close in the standings. The celestial team is 13th, with 16 points, and the black and white team is 15th, with 14. Raposa tries to win to reach the top 10 of the competition and “push” the opponent into the relegation zone. Galo, in turn, wants to win to end the negative sequence and overcome its rival.
How the Cruise arrives
After a complicated first quarter, Cruzeiro is experiencing a lull in the season. The team comes from victories over Remo, in the Brasileirão, and Boca Juniors-ARG, in the Copa Libertadores, and has regained the trust of the fans.
In the Brasileirão, there are already three consecutive positive results. The sequence meant that Raposa left the relegation zone and could look ahead in search of goals at the top.
Among the starters in the last matches, Artur Jorge has no new absences and can repeat the team that beat Boca. The main doubt is in the goal, with the young Otávio and the disputed Matheus Cunha competing for the coach’s preference.
As has been the case since he arrived in Belo Horizonte, the Portuguese adopts mystery and usually makes important decisions regarding the team just moments before the match.
Artur Jorge debuts in the classic
At Cruzeiro since the end of March, Artur Jorge debuts in the Minas Gerais classic. The Portuguese tries to repeat against his rival the good performance he had in front of the celestial team in the first nine games.
In his career, the coach has great memories of the current opponent, as he was champion of the 2024 Copa Libertadores with Botafogo with a victory over Atlético in the final.
How Atlético arrives
Coming from three defeats in the Brazilian Championship, to Santos, Coritiba and Flamengo, Atlético needs to win to escape the relegation zone and not further distance itself from the teams at the top of the table in the most important competition in the country.
To try to change the scenario in this weekend’s match, “Barba” must even change the scheme to face the celestial rival and choose to field three defenders. It is worth remembering that, among the eleven spared from the trip to Peru, where Alvinegro lost to Cienciano in the South American, Ruan Tressoldi, Vitor Hugo and Lyanco remained in Belo Horizonte.
Expelled in the defeat to Coritiba, he was suspended against Flamengo and is once again an option for the Argentine coach.
Contrary to what they do on a daily basis, Atlético chose not to release information from the last training session before facing Cruzeiro. The activity took place this Friday afternoon (1), in Cidade do Galo.
End of an era: Hulk out of the classic
In , striker Hulk left Atlético and is out of the classic. It is worth remembering that the rival is the number 7’s biggest “victim”. Since 2021, when he arrived at Galo, he has scored 10 goals.
Despite training daily at CT, the 39-year-old from Paraíba is experiencing his last moments as a club athlete. Next week, in fact, he should travel to Rio de Janeiro to sign with Tricolor Carioca.
It is worth remembering that, with 12 matches played in this edition of the Brazilian Championship, he would be unable to defend another Serie A club in 2026 and return to play in the most important competition in the country.
First classic since historic brawl in the Mineiro final
On March 8, Cruzeiro and Atlético decided in a single game at Mineirão. Raposa won 1-0, with a goal from Kaio Jorge, and took the cup. However, what caught the most attention at the time was the widespread fight between the players in the final minutes.
In total, the referee recorded 23 expulsions in the match, 12 of which were from Cruzeiro players and 11 from Atletico players.
Crowded mineirão!
Mineirão will be packed for the classic, with 60,000 fans expected to attend. Host, Cruzeiro had a load of around 57 thousand tickets. Galo received 2,500 tickets to sell to its fans.
Cruzeiro x Atlético
Cruise
Otávio (Matheus Cunha), Fagner, Fabrício Bruno, Jonathan Jesus and Kaiki Bruno; Lucas Romero, Christian, Gerson and Matheus Pereira; Keny Arroyo and Kaio Jorge. Coach: Artur Jorge.
Atlético
Everson; Vitor Hugo, Lyanco (Natanael), Ruan Tressoldi; Renan Lodi; Alan Franco, Maycon, Victor Hugo; Bernard; Tomás Cuello and Cassierra. Coach: Eduardo ‘Barba’ Domínguez.
- Reason: 14th round of Series A of the Brazilian Championship
- Date and time: May 2nd, at 9pm (Brasília time)
- Local: Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte
- Arbitrator: Flávio Rodrigues de Souza (SP)
- Auxiliaries: Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (RJ) and Alex Ang Ribeiro (SP)
- OUR: Rodrigo Guarizo Ferreira do Amaral (VAR)
Transmission: Itatiaia broadcasts the game on the radio (AM 610 and FM 95.7) and on its official YouTube channels (@itatiaiaoficial and @itatiaiaesporte). On TV, the game will be broadcast on Sportv (closed TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view).
