Decision time at Arena MRV: Atlético gear up for crucial clash with Ceará | OneFootball

Saturday (25th) promises to be full of excitement at Arena MRV. In a match that has taken on the air of a decisive battle, Atlético faces Ceará in the 30th round of the Brazilian Championship at 4:00 PM, seeking essential breathing room in the fight against relegation. With just a two-point advantage over Vitória, the first team within the relegation zone, Galo knows there is no room for error against a direct rival on the table.

Currently, Atlético has 33 points, three less than Vozão, who has 36. A home victory is mandatory to relieve the pressure, keep alive the goal of securing a spot in Serie A, and maintain focus on the other decisive match on Tuesday (28th) against del Valle.

Sampaoli will face a key midfield absence

For the duel, coach Jorge Sampaoli will have to deal with a significant absence: midfielder Fausto Vera is suspended and will not be able to play. As a result, the tendency is for the Argentine to keep Igor Gomes and Alan Franco as the starting midfield duo, repeating the formation from the game in Ecuador.

Another option would be Alexsander, who was cleared by the Medical Department and was already on the bench during the 1-1 draw in Quito.

Despite Vera's absence, Thursday's (23rd) training session brought good news for the fans. Midfielder Patrick, in the final stages of recovery from a lower back injury, participated in part of the activities with the group. Atlético has not yet informed when the player will be available, but his physical progress is encouraging at Cidade do Galo.

Decisive atmosphere

Atlético has been experiencing an irregular sequence but is counting on the support of the black-and-white crowd and the home advantage to bounce back. In the last 10 games – including the Brasileirão and the South American Cup – Atlético won only 3, lost 3 times, and drew 4.

After the match against Ceará, Galo will face another "direct confrontation" in the Brazilian Championship against Internacional in Porto Alegre.

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