Belo Horizonte bogey, Jardim looks to stay unbeaten v Atlético-MG | OneFootball

Flamengo coach boasts a favorable record built during his time at Cruzeiro

Flamengo face Atlético-MG this Sunday (26) at Arena MRV, in the 13th round of the Brasileirão. The match marks the first time Leonardo Jardim will lead the Rubro-Negro against the Minas Gerais side. At the height of his work in Rio de Janeiro, the Portuguese coach is trying to maintain his personal unbeaten run against the rival, carried over from his Cruzeiro days.

Leonardo Jardim’s spell at Cruzeiro took place during the 2025 season, between February and December, with four matches against Atlético-MG. The record shows two wins, both in the Copa do Brasil, and two draws in Brazilian Championship matches.

It is worth noting, however, that his initial experience in the Minas Gerais derby is not counted in the record. Having just arrived in Brazil, Leonardo Jardim watched Cruzeiro’s 2-0 defeat in the Minas Gerais Championship from a luxury box. Since his official presentation only took place the day after the loss, the negative result does not count against the coach, preserving the unbeaten run he will defend this Sunday (26).

WHAT DID FLAMENGO’S CURRENT ASSISTANT SAY ABOUT ATLÉTICO-MG?

Right in his first game at Cruzeiro, Atlético-MG’s style of play irritated Diogo Dias, an assistant who is also part of Jardim’s current coaching staff at Flamengo. The jab came directly, with the staff member stating that Cruzeiro had no rivals worthy of the name in Minas Gerais: “Atlético can never be considered a rival of a big team,” he said at the time.

WHAT NOW?

Looking to maintain his unbeaten run against Atlético-MG, Leonardo Jardim will lead Flamengo this Sunday (26). The clash, valid for the 13th round of the Brasileirão, kicks off at Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time).

Fans can follow every moment of the match on Coluna do Fla through social media, the website, and YouTube. At the same time, reporter Rodrigo Lima will provide live updates from inside the stadium in Minas Gerais. Finally, SporTV (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast Atlético-MG vs. Flamengo.

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