Cruzeiro boss Leonardo Jardim not planning long-term Brazil stay due to calendar fatigue | OneFootball

Leonardo Jardim has enjoyed a bright start to life in domestic Brazilian football, with the much-travelled Portuguese coach progressing well with Cruzeiro in both the league and cup.

Jardim took charge of the Belo Horizonte side in February, since when he has overseen a strong start to the new season domestically, albeit alongside surprise elimination from the Copa Sudamericana at the group stage. In the Campeonato Brasileiro, Cruzeiro sit in 2nd place, while they booked their place in the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals in midweek.

“The cup is certainly always a goal, Cruzeiro is the team with the most cups (6) in the whole of Brazil,” Jardim said after overcoming Vila Nova. “When we think about qualifying for the Copa Libertadores (South America’s equivalent of the Champions Leaue) we think about [doing it] through the league.

"We always have to think that the next game will be a final, just as we're going to have an exciting quarterfinal to qualify the team for its first final. But we'll think about that later, after the draw, after we know who the opponent is, and after we've played the games."

Defence the key

The backdrop of Cruzeiro’s solid form is their defensive record. The team has kept six clean sheets from their nine away matches in Brasileirão so far this term. In total, Cruzeiro has conceded a mere five goals from the nine games on the road, while their overall defensive record is second only to leaders Flamengo.

“This record, it's a collective effort, a collaborative effort, and the players have been competent in achieving these goals,” Jardim said.

Given Cruzeiro finished last season in 9th place, their current 2nd spot would represent a significant improvement as the season nears the halfway point. However, Jardim also spoke about the difficulties of managing the Brazilian calendar, which has led him to conclude that a long-term stay is not part of the plans. Abel Ferreira of Palmeiras has often remarked about fixture congestion allied to long travel as taking its toll on players and staff each year.

"One of the things that happens here in Brazil is the long distances,” he said. “It leads to accumulated fatigue. Not just physical fatigue, but psychological fatigue. When I came to Brazil, I knew this. That's why I don't want to coach many years here in Brazil to avoid that exhaustion.

“But, on the other hand, it is exciting. After the Vila Nova game there was beautiful celebrations. There were lots of away fans in our stadium. Fireworks… You rarely see cup matches in other countries with this much excitement and enthusiasm.”

Cruzeiro host Santos on Sunday afternoon, hoping to put pressure in Flamengo, who lead them at the summit of Brasileirão on goal difference, albeit with one game in-hand.