Cruzeiro adjusts its course after the end of its title chances and focuses its forces on trying to close the Brazilian League in second place
Photo: Esport News Mundo
The 1-1 draw with Ceara, on Saturday (29), not only halted Cruzeiro’s recent momentum but also put an end to their dream of winning the Brazilian championship. The calculations still allow for a dose of hope, but after the match, coach Leonardo Jardim realized that the fight for the cup was out of reach – and tried to redirect the team’s focus to the final two rounds.
The coach admitted, during a press conference, that the group still has the possibility of making the final push. According to him, the guaranteed place in the Libertadores revived the heavenly fantasy, but the reality of the standings and the strength of the competitors ended up speaking louder.
He said, “Deep down, after we qualified for the Libertadores Cup and with the mathematical opportunity still open, everyone thought we could look for something more. But that was not possible.”
Jardim was keen to highlight the level of his direct opponents, especially Flamengo and Palmeiras, permanent rivals of the national elite.
For the coach, realizing the weight of opposing forces is part of Cruzeiro’s maturation process.
He added, “We have to appreciate the quality of our opponents. It is no coincidence that Flamengo and Palmeiras won the Libertadores final this year. We cannot ignore that we played a great tournament. Sometimes people talk about the points we wasted, but we won other points that may not have been in the plan. The same is true in straight points. We are having our best season since 2014.”
Cruzeiro is in third place with 69 points, six points behind Mirasol. With no chance of claiming the title, the new goal is clear: overtake Palmeiras, who have 70 points, and finish the season in second place – a result that would crown the best heavenly journey in more than a decade.