Leonardo Jardim: second-half shift key, eyes on next matches

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·28 août 2025

Leonardo Jardim: second-half shift key, eyes on next matches

Cruzeiro took the lead in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. On Wednesday night (27), the celestial team beat Atlético 2-0 at the MRV Arena, building a significant advantage for the return match at Mineirão on September 11, after the FIFA Date. The goals were scored by defender Fabrício Bruno and striker Kaio Jorge.

After the match, coach Leonardo Jardim highlighted the team's performance, especially in the second half, when Cruzeiro managed to impose itself.

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“It was a good classic. A more balanced first part between the teams looking for the goal. A second half where Cruzeiro improved and managed to take the lead. A final reaction from Atlético. We are at halftime with an advantage, but the game will only be decided in the home game.”

The author of the first goal, defender Fabrício Bruno, received praise from the coach: “I congratulated Fabrício on the goal and told him: ‘I taught many things, but not that, it was his individual talent’. Regarding the second goal, you know that we have made great progress in relation to set pieces. Cruzeiro had difficulty, today it is more competent in offensive and defensive terms, due to the work developed by our coach and our players.”

The commander explained the changes in attitude and confidence that gave strength to Cruzeiro in the final stage:

“We knew that the opponent is a team that uses individual marking and to escape, we have to have some mobility, change of roles, entry of full-back, change of midfielder for defensive midfielder, we looked for this type of situation and the players executed very well. The second half was very good. This changes the idea that Cruzeiro in the second half does not have intensity, does not have strength. Sometimes the game dictates what will happen. The opponent's reaction, the recovery. Sometimes these factors are not decisive. Each game has its story and now we are going to recover very well, because we have an important game against São Paulo.”

And he added that the halftime break was crucial to find the solutions that he could not find on the field, with the ball rolling:

“The coach came in with a different structure than usual and this created some problems. But sometimes it's hard to correct these situations on the field. In the second half we corrected this situation, we had to balance the game with a line of 4 and not jump on the opponent's wingers. With the ball we were making some mistakes and I said that we needed to have confidence. We played at the opponent's home, but we had already played at Maracanã, at Nilton Santos, we needed to have confidence when we had the ball. This improved and was important for the construction of the goals.”

When asked about the return game, when he will have a whole stadium of fans in his favor, Jardim stressed that his team has a specific behavior, which does not change regardless of favorable or against factors:

“We have a way of playing. A way of playing that the players believe in, that the coach believes in. We do not give up this posture, this behavior, regardless of where we are playing. And that's why we had the posture we had here, pressing the opponent, we moved up the lines, little space in construction. And I hardly give up what our principles are for fear or not of the opponent. Cruzeiro is a big club that has to respect the opponents, but has to make itself respected on the field.”

The coach reinforced the collective behavior and minimized specific criticisms. “The team has had a positive behavior. Several players. Over the past few months, we will not win all the games, but we work, we have attitude. Many people talk about the Mirassol game (where Cruzeiro conceded a goal), but did not watch the game. We had six players out. And I also admit that there was a phase of the game where we were struggling. Football is like that. We have to give credit to the opponent. For me, all opponents are the opponent. And that's what I try to pass on to my players. We don't have to respect Atlético, Flamengo more than Mirassol or Sport.”

About the synthetic turf of the MRV Arena, Jardim praised the quality, but warned about the physical wear: “About the synthetic, of this quality, new, it's very good to play. The problem with synthetic is not the game we are going to play, it's the wear and tear on our players. It's different. Against São Paulo it will be a terrible game, because the wear and tear was great.”

Still questioned about the team's fatigue, thinking about the match against São Paulo, for the Brasileirão, next Saturday (21), Jardim made it clear that he will change the team, to manage the fatigue of his athletes:

“I don't usually spare, I usually manage. We can make some changes, but it's not to spare, because the championship stops. I want to manage to have good intensity. This for sure, we will manage, I don't know how many, but I will think later.”

The coach also valued the call-ups of squad players. “Today I am pleased to have four players on the shortlist and two called up. I am honored to participate in this growth”, he said, citing Kaio Jorge, Kaiki, Fabrício Bruno and Matheus Pereira. It is worth mentioning that Fabrício Bruno and Kaio Jorge will be with the Brazilian National Team during the FIFA Date break, in the games against Chile and Bolivia.

Finally, he commented on the arrival of striker Luis Sinisterra:

“About Sinisterra, he is a player who comes with some physical deficit, because he had an injury in the pre-season on his ankle. He returned to training three days before coming. We will see his condition, he may get some minutes against São Paulo, then we will bet on the break week to see if we can increase his levels to see if he can help us. The important thing is not to injure, not to put pressure on, everyone who arrives, arrives to be one more. That is our idea. That's why we made an effort for him to come, he is a player who will give us other values, technical, one-on-one, I don't want identical players, I want technical, physical, strategic alternatives.”

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