Copa do Brasil: Atlético face Ceará, Cruzeiro meet Goiás in round 5 | OneFootball

The Brazilian Football Confederation held the draw for the fifth phase of the Copa do Brasil on the afternoon of this Monday (23) at its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The event determined the matchups for the three teams from Minas Gerais that remain in the country's main knockout competition.

The first club to appear in the draw was Atlético, which will face Ceará. Next, it was Cruzeiro's turn, which will take on Goiás. Interestingly, both rivals from the capital of Minas Gerais will have opponents that are currently competing in the Brazilian Championship's Serie B.

History of the Matchups

Atlético and Ceará meet again in the Copa do Brasil after two decades. The only match between the teams happened in 2005, during the quarterfinals, when the northeastern team came out on top. After a goalless draw in Belo Horizonte, Ceará won 2-0 in Fortaleza and eliminated Galo.

Atlético will play the first game against Ceará at Arena MRV and will decide its qualification away from home.

Meanwhile, Cruzeiro and Goiás have faced each other twice in the competition. The first encounter was in 1990, with the advantage going to the Goiás club, which achieved a 4-0 victory and advanced. In 2003, however, Raposa got its revenge in grand style: it won both semifinal matches and went on to win the title that year.

Unlike Atlético, Cruzeiro will decide its spot in Belo Horizonte, at Mineirão.

It is worth noting that, this season, the country's top clubs begin their journey in the Copa do Brasil starting from the fifth phase, as is the case with Atlético and Cruzeiro.

Another Team from Minas Gerais in the Competition

In addition to the capital's duo, Athletic also represents Minas Gerais in this phase. The team from São João del-Rei will face a tough challenge: Internacional.

Unlike Atlético and Cruzeiro, Athletic started its journey in the initial phases and has already overcome three opponents: Rio Branco-ES, Ypiranga-RS, and Sport, making this its best performance in the competition.

Prize at Stake

Whoever advances to the next phase, the round of 16, secures a prize of R$ 3 million, an important amount for the clubs' finances, which further increases the importance of the matchups.

Matchups of the 5th Phase of the Copa do Brasil

Reproduction / CBF

The fifth phase of the Copa do Brasil promises balanced and decisive duels, with the Minas Gerais clubs seeking another step towards the title.

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