Diogo Alves: Chose Sampaoli in BH, praises youth, admits poor game

In partnership with

Deus me Dibre

·15. Januar 2026

Diogo Alves: Chose Sampaoli in BH, praises youth, admits poor game

The assistant coach Diogo Alves, responsible for leading Atlético on the sidelines during the 1-1 draw with North on Wednesday night (14th) in Montes Claros, for the 2nd round of the Campeonato Mineiro, analyzed the team's performance, explained the technical staff's strategy, and emphasized the development process of the younger players used at the start of the season.

In an interview after the match, Diogo acknowledged that Galo faced more difficulties than expected at the Juvêncio Augusto Soares Stadium. According to him, the context of the game also influenced the scenario faced by the Alvinegro.

OneFootball Videos

We expected a tough game, indeed. Firstly because, after 15 years, a team from the north of the state is competing at this level again. So it creates an illusion, excitement, a greater hysteria than usual, which is valid. We also need to talk about the condition of the pitch, which is not ideal, but it is not an excuse for the positive or negative performance of any team. But, in a way, we adjusted to the conditions of the game and did what was possible for today. Overall, the performance is not super positive and that is clear, but we have some merit in facing an opponent that posed more difficulty than we expected.

Why did Sampaoli stay in Belo Horizonte?

When asked about Jorge Sampaoli's decision to stay in Belo Horizonte working with the main squad while a team made up of reserves and youth players played in the countryside, Diogo Alves detailed the technical staff's planning.

According to the assistant, the strategy is part of a broader preparation to withstand the heavy schedule that Atlético will have in 2026.

“Sampaoli's move is to prepare three teams for a very exhausting season, and we cannot underestimate the effect of such a grueling schedule. Sampaoli needed to give a bit more attention to the group that stayed in Belo Horizonte. This group that came here receives daily attention from him. We do not underestimate or belittle the opponent; on the contrary, we follow a line defined before the season”, he explained.

Work with the youth and external pressure

Diogo Alves also highlighted the importance of the preparation period alongside the young athletes and praised their response to opportunities in the professional team.

The most enjoyable part of this preparation period for Sampaoli's technical group is being able to work with those who are, in our assessment, the best players from the youth academy since we arrived at Atlético. I believe they are responding well. Many of these players have not played four or five professional games. We are putting them at a very high level of demand—not because of the opponent or the match, but due to the external pressure we perceive every day on social media and from our fans.

Standings situation and next match

With the draw, Atlético reached two points in the Campeonato Mineiro—two 1-1 draws—and finished the round in third place in Group A. The leader is URT, with four points, while Democrata-GV is in second, with three.

Galo returns to the field next Sunday (18th) at 6 PM, when they host Tombense at Arena MRV, for the third round of the State Championship.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.