Jardim to rest Cruzeiro regulars for Copa do Brasil clash with Santos | OneFootball

After drawing with Botafogo in the 37th round of the Brazilian Championship, Cruzeiro secured third place in the competition. With no chance of taking the runner-up spot and focused on the Copa do Brasil, coach Leonardo Jardim stated that he will “rotate the squad” in the match against Santos this Sunday, in the last round of the Brasileirão. The Portuguese coach’s decision favors Peixe, who are fighting to remain in the top tier of national football and avoid the second relegation in their history.

“We would like to play at our best. You know I don’t like to rotate the squad and make big changes, but the schedule demands it. We have a game in six days and I can’t put players on the field who have played 50 or 60 times this season,” said Jardim at a press conference after the match.

With no chance of the title, which has already been won by Flamengo, and with third place secured, since Cruzeiro cannot catch Palmeiras in number of victories, the coach has turned his full attention to the Copa do Brasil. He acknowledges that the match against Santos will be tough, but says he cannot take risks that could jeopardize the final.

“It’s going to be a tough game. It’s an opportunity for those who have played less to show why they are in the Cruzeiro squad. They’ll also gain match rhythm. After that comes the Copa do Brasil final, which will be extremely competitive. We won’t play with just 11, but with everyone. They will continue to help us in the semifinal,” he added.

He almost left the club

Leonardo Jardim also revealed that he almost left Cruzeiro at the start of the year. The coach arrived in February to replace Fernando Diniz and, after a turbulent start, with eliminations in the Campeonato Mineiro and Copa Sudamericana, said he considered leaving the club.

“On the eve of the match against São Paulo, I gathered the players and said: ‘If we don’t change our behavior and attitude, I’m here for nothing.’ Later, I met with the president and talked about the changes I would make. I also said that if it didn’t work, I would leave, at no cost to the club,” he recounted.

The changes had an effect, and Jardim led Cruzeiro to the “podium” of the Brasileirão for the first time since 2014, the year of Raposa’s last title.

Decisive match for Santos

Although the match “means nothing” for Cruzeiro, it is decisive for Santos. If they win, Peixe guarantees their place in Série A. The team is in 14th place, with 44 points, two more than Vitória, the first team in the relegation zone.

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