This weekend in the Brazilian metropolis of Belo Horizonte is upside down again. Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro, the two largest clubs in the city, play the Classico Mineiro on Sunday evening! Belo Horizonte’s honor is at stake.
Atletico Mineiro:
These are busy times for Atletico Mineiro, which concludes a series of no less than eight games in 24 days on Sunday evening. Coach Rodrigo Santana can be proud of his selection, because with a fourth place in the Brazilian Serie A and with reaching the quarter finals of the Copa Sudamericana, the team competes on various fronts for the prizes. However, he could not prevent black-and-white being recently eliminated by arch-rival Cruzeiro in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. The Classico Mineiro is always loaded anyway, but the revenge feelings of Atletico Mineiro might make this edition extra spicy.
Since the Copa America interruption, Atletico Mineiro only lost once, so Galo lacks confidence. A big exception, however, is the 39-year-old attacker Ricardo Oliveira, who has been dry for more than a thousand minutes in a row. The former Brazilian international told the Brazilian press that this goal drying did not affect him and that the team interest was paramount. Nice words, but just like every number nine, Oliveira also lives for goals. The striker now feels the hot breath of Alerrandro, seventeen years younger, who was sent off with a red card in the last derby against Cruzeiro.
Cruzeiro:
Cruzeiro’s situation is a lot less prosperous. The blue shirts, which managed to win the national title in 2013 and 2014, are only one point above the Brazilian relegation zone. The last time Raposa won a competition match was almost three months ago (Goias home: 2-1, on 5 May).
The low ranking of Cruzeiro in the Brazilian Serie A is easy to explain. Trainer Mano Menezes has recently given priority to midweek duels in the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores, in which Cruzeiro was eliminated in the eighth finals after penalties by the Argentinian River Plate a few days ago. During competition matches, he therefore regularly brought a glorified B team within the lines. Coming Thursday, the first match in the semi-final of the Copa do Brasil against Internacional is coming up, so it could just be that Menezes will also rotate again in the derby against Atletico Mineiro. In any case, the coach did not allow himself to look into his cards, as no people were allowed into the training this week.
PREDICTION: Atletico-MG to win @ 2,00
