Do the K! Cruzeiro win derby again, reach Copa do Brasil semis | OneFootball

Cruzeiro and Atlético faced each other again on Thursday night (11), in a match valid for the return leg of the quarterfinals of the 2025 Copa do Brasil. After winning the first leg 2-0, Leonardo Jardim's Raposa took to the field with an advantage against Galo, who came with a new technical command: Jorge Sampaoli arrived to try to improve the performance of the black and white team.

The confrontation took place after a long period of inactivity for the teams, due to the FIFA Date, but not of inactivity for the athletes, who trained throughout the week thinking about the return match.

On the celestial side, Fabrício Bruno and Kaio Jorge were called up for the Brazilian National Team, with the striker gaining minutes in the first canary game, but ended up getting injured and returning earlier to Toca da Raposa 2, while Fabrício Bruno was a starter throughout the time in the match between Brazil and Bolivia.

On the black and white side, Junior Alonso, called up for the Paraguay national team, only played in the first qualifying match, returning earlier to Cidade do Galo due to a suspension. Alan Franco was a starter for the Ecuadorian national team in the match against Argentina and only arrived on Wednesday night.

Despite the mystery due to Kaio Jorge's injury, the striker recovered in time to be related and start the match as a starter in Leonardo Jardim's team. Thus, the initial 11 of Cruzeiro maintained that traditional system already accustomed by the fans:

On the black and white side, there were many doubts due to Jorge Sampaoli's debut. Several surprises in the initial team caught the eye, such as the return of Lyanco, who had been out for a long time due to an injury, Gabriel Menino and Igor Gomes as starters and Fausto Vera returning to the Galo starting team. This was the first 11 of Jorge Sampaoli on his return:

First half

The game started at the expected pace by both clubs. Atlético's positional game was visible, with a line of three and two wings waiting to touch the ball. On the opposite side, Cruzeiro used the vertical game to attack with great speed and exploiting the spaces left. It didn't take long for the Cruzeiro attack, showing all its strength, to make the good phase count: William lifted in the area, Fabrício Bruno headed towards the goal and Kaio Jorge, falling, pushed to the back of the goal at 5 minutes. Cruzeiro 1 Atlético 0.

After the goal, the game took another pace, with many fouls and heavier dispute plays, which complicated the refereeing of Rafael Klein. Atlético launched into the attack trying to exchange more passes and bring more players forward. Cruzeiro, with little possession of the ball, bet more on quick and long launches.

The excess of fouls made both teams more anxious and nervous, with the fouls being sharper and the first applications of yellow cards: Wanderson was yellowed after a foul on Hulk, preventing a counterattack, while Hulk also received a card, but for a discussion with Fabrício Bruno.

With the ball rolling, Atlético's left side, with Arena infiltrations through the middle and the approach of Igor Gomes, was the most used weapon, but with little efficiency due to the marking on the wingers. Cruzeiro tried, through the middle, to build some plays, but stopped at the heavier marking. Atlético kept almost 70% of the ball possession from the final half of the first half, but couldn't finish on goal, while Cruzeiro, with less possession, posed more danger to Everson's goal.

The best black and white chances came from set pieces, in corner kicks or rehearsed plays from them, but Cássio came out on the balls with safety to rebound. With the game more under control, Cruzeiro raised its lines to pressure Sampaoli's worked exit, forcing Atlético to make a mistake, but couldn't take advantage of the moments when it had control of the ball to create better chances.

With 5 minutes of extra time on the scoreboard, Atlético continued to maintain ball possession and pass exchange in search of the best space to attack, almost always on its left side of the field. The marking continued to be the great mark of the match in the first half, with many ball disputes and duels for clean possession. Without clear chances, the first half ended with 1-0 for Raposa on the scoreboard.

Second half

For the final stage, a change on the Galo side: Rony, forward, entered the field in place of Gabriel Menino. Sampaoli's goal was to fill the attack more and take advantage of the ball possession to pose more danger to Cássio's goal. Cruzeiro returned to the field with the same team that started the match, as usual for coach Leonardo Jardim.

Cruzeiro returned from the break maintaining a posture very similar to the beginning of the game, with the ball at the foot and in the quick touch, sought to pose danger to Everson, who in a great shot from Romero, made a great save. But on the corner kick, at 4 minutes of the final stage, Atlético couldn't: Matheus Pereira Cruzeiro, the rebounded ball fell to William, who finished and saw Kaio Jorge deflect to the back of the nets. Cruzeiro 2 Atlético 0. In the aggregate of the matches, 4-0 for Raposa.

With a lot of discussion on the field, the game became very tough just before the middle of the final stage. With Atlético forcing passes to reach the attack with more volume, Cruzeiro used fouls to stop the plays still in the midfield. Cuello, now on the right side, barely participated. Atlético used the cross in the area to try to pose danger, while Cruzeiro continued in the attempt of a direct and faster game to attack. Hulk even had a good foul at the entrance of the area to try to reduce the score, but ended up sending the ball over the goal.

The first changes in Cruzeiro took place 20 minutes into the second half: Matheus Henrique and Gabigol entered the field, in the places of Wanderson and Kaio Jorge, respectively. Atlético's best opportunity in the match, until then, came after a free kick from Gustavo Scarpa, when the ball falls to Hulk, who shoots and hits the crossbar.

Returning to pressure Atlético's exit, Cruzeiro forced its rival to make a mistake and began to pose more danger to Everson's goal, with good inversions and danger in set pieces. Jardim made another substitution at 32 minutes, with the entry of Sinisterra in place of Christian. Sampaoli responded with two other changes, with Igor Gomes and Cuello leaving, for the entry of Alan Franco and Reinier, respectively.

Slowing down the match more, Cruzeiro controlled the game and determined the rhythm, while Atlético, due to desperation and anxiety, couldn't create good attacking plays. Jardim still burned more minutes with his last substitutions: Wallace and Eduardo entered to give more physical vigor to the team - Lucas Silva and Matheus Pereira left the field - and try to create plays to increase the score.

Already in stoppage time, Guilherme Arana didn't like an entry from Matheus Henrique and went up against the celestial midfielder, receiving the red card from Rafael Klein and leaving Atlético with one less in the last minutes. And that was the last act of the classic, with a victory for Cruzeiro.

Record

The classic also marked the attendance record at the new Mineirão, with 61,584 Cruzeiro fans and a revenue of R$ 6,487,220.04.

What's next...

Now the Copa do Brasil returns only after the end of the Brazilian Championship. With changes in the calendar, promoted by CBF, both the semifinals and the finals will only be played in December and the draw is already defined, with Cruzeiro facing Corinthians, who eliminated Athletico-PR.

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