Cruzeiro welcome Athletico Paranaense to the Mineirão on 6 September 2026 for Brasileirão Série A Round 26. Athletico sit third with 45 points from 25 matches and are pushing hard for a top four finish that would secure Libertadores group stage football, whereas Cruzeiro occupy sixth on 39 points and need to keep pace with the sides immediately above as much as those below. The home side arrive having won four of their last five, with only a 1-3 loss at Vasco da Gama in late August breaking that sequence, while the visitors have been collecting points at a steadier, less spectacular rhythm.
Artur Jorge has not lost in either previous meeting with Athletico, taking one win and one draw, whereas Hellmann, in charge since May 2025 and recently extended through to the end of 2027, has not fared as well against Jorge's sides.
Cruzeiro's last five games read L-W-W-W-W, while Athletico have been more consistent if less exciting, going D-W-D-W-D and most recently sharing a 3-3 draw with Fluminense around 30 August. That result captured something real about Athletico: capable of scoring plenty, capable of being opened up too.
Cruzeiro are badly short staffed heading into this one, with Matheus Pereira, Lucas Silva and Fabrício Bruno all suspended through yellow card accumulation, Marquinhos out with an ACL injury, Cássio missing with knee ligament damage and Jonathan Jesus sidelined by a leg or ankle problem. That is a lot of creative and defensive cover gone at once. Athletico are slightly better off but still missing Alejandro García (pubic bone bruise) and Lucas Esquivel (foot injury).
Cruzeiro typically set up in a 4-2-3-1 built around patient build up but losing three midfield and defensive anchors forces real improvisation. Without Matheus Pereira, Kaio Jorge's movement and Gerson's ability to unlock compact defences become the main creative levers. Athletico under Hellmann flip between a 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 depending on the game state, with Kevin Viveros, already at around 17 league goals, the focal point and Mendoza and Zapelli or Portilla operating around him. Whether Cruzeiro can sustain controlled possession long enough to stretch Athletico's block before Viveros sniffs space in behind is the question this game will likely turn on.
Cruzeiro have the better of this fixture historically, winning around 27 of roughly 68 meetings against 19 for Athletico. The most recent encounter went the other way: Athletico won 2-1 in March 2026 during Round 7.
Cruzeiro can still threaten at dead balls, though losing Fabrício Bruno and Lucas Silva takes out two of their main bodies inside the box and Athletico's own absences could leave them slightly more exposed from corners and free kicks, with Daiane Muniz dos Santos taking charge as referee.
We're going for a 2-1 Cruzeiro win. Their recent form is the main argument: four straight wins with a home crowd behind them at the Mineirão, facing an Athletico side that has been grinding rather than flowing lately. Cruzeiro's depleted midfield will make possession harder to sustain but Kaio Jorge's movement and Gerson's ability to find gaps late should be enough to create two clear chances. Athletico will threaten through Viveros on the counter and could equalise if Cruzeiro's legs go in the final quarter, yet their own injury list limits how much sustained pressure they can generate.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
