Alan Franco hails derby win, praises squad’s belief and versatility

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·26 January 2026

Alan Franco hails derby win, praises squad’s belief and versatility

After Atlético’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Cruzeiro on Sunday night (25th) at Arena MRV, midfielder Alan Franco gave an interview in the mixed zone and emphasized the importance of the result for the team’s current moment. The triumph marked Galo’s first win in the Campeonato Mineiro, after four consecutive draws in the opening rounds of the competition.

Visibly pleased with the team’s collective performance and the result in the derby, Franco highlighted the significance of the victory both because of the rival and the emotional impact on the squad.

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It’s always important to win, especially to win a derby. We were coming off 4 draws, unable to get a win. Today, for us as a group, it was extremely important to win. This will help us a lot with the team’s morale and confidence, so we can start, God willing, the Brazilian Championship in the best way possible.

In addition to talking about the result, the midfielder also commented on his versatility on the field, since throughout the match he played in different roles, demonstrating tactical adaptability and game awareness.

I always say, when I’m asked this question, which might sound a bit repetitive, but it’s something I always try to do: to be able to play well in various positions. Today I started as a midfielder, then moved to full-back. To start the plays, I acted as a third center-back. This versatility I’m managing to have, I think it’s very important for me and I believe it’s also important for the team.

For Franco, the impact of the victory goes beyond the three points on the table. The player especially highlighted the positive psychological effect on the alvinegro squad: “This victory, emotionally, is something very positive”, he concluded.

With the result, Atlético gains confidence for the rest of the season and now turns its attention to the debut in the Brazilian Championship, when they face Palmeiras on Wednesday (28th) at Arena MRV, as well as the continuation of the Campeonato Mineiro next weekend.

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