Artur Jorge on team’s progress and problems in defeat: “No cutting edge”

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·12 de julio de 2026

Artur Jorge on team’s progress and problems in defeat: “No cutting edge”

After the 3-1 defeat to Grêmio this Sunday (12) at Mané Garrincha, coach Artur Jorge preferred to emphasize Cruzeiro’s preparation process during the mid-season break. In a press conference, the manager highlighted the team’s progress in recent weeks, explained why he used practically the entire squad in the friendly, and assessed that Raposa’s main problem was a lack of efficiency in finishing.

For Artur Jorge, the friendly should not be treated as a definitive benchmark for the level Cruzeiro will show when the season resumes. According to him, the main objective was to observe the players in a match situation and increase the squad’s competitive workload.

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“We are carrying out a long-term analysis and have to look at the current moment. We have noticed an improvement in the team’s behavior. (The friendly) serves exactly that purpose. I can’t stand here talking about what this game’s preparation was or what we performed based on what is still to come. It makes no sense to draw a comparison between one match and another. The players we have are the ones who have been working for opportunities, and preparation games are there to see everyone compete.”

The coach also explained the decision to rotate the squad in the second half, keeping only goalkeeper Otávio on the field. According to him, the strategy was part of the plan to distribute minutes and evaluate the entire group before the return of the Brazilian Championship.

“These games allow us to have that kind of scope. That is why after 70 minutes we changed the 10 outfield players and only kept Otávio. Everyone played so that we can see the players competing against good opponents, like we had today, but also get minutes in a game that is never the same as training. We want to give intensity to the team, and I mean all the players, not just 10, 11 or 13. That is the only way it makes sense to work and prepare for the 22nd, which is what concerns me.”

When analyzing the performance on the pitch, Artur Jorge said he was satisfied with the number of chances created, but lamented Cruzeiro’s lack of efficiency, as the team wasted two penalty kicks and other clear opportunities during the friendly.

“We created chances, a volume of opportunities that did not depend on the opponent’s mistakes, as happened with their goal. We lacked efficiency. We have to keep working and training so that not only efficiency appears, but above all confidence. We have experienced players with enough maturity to keep working. There will be games in which we create three or four chances and score two goals. Today none of us is satisfied. It was a preparation game in which we wanted to win, and we didn’t.”

With the preparation period now over, Cruzeiro is fully focused on the resumption of the Brazilian Championship. The team returns to the field on the 22nd at 9:30 p.m., when it faces Internacional at Beira-Rio in the 19th round of Série A.

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