Promising youngster Raniel scored the winner for Cruzeiro yesterday (pic: Agencia Estado)
The world’s football descended on Belo Horizonte this weekend, although I’m not sure if they were there to watch Sunday’s classico between Atletico-MG and Cruzeiro.
Most of the assembled hacks were probably in town to provide an update on Neymar’s foot, which underwent surgery on Saturday. Brazil’s team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, who was in charge of that operation, lives in Belo Horizonte and also happens to works for Atletico Mineiro, one of the two main local footabll teams.
After operating on Neymar on Saturday, Lasmar was on their bench for Atletico on Sunday, as they took on none other than their local rivals Cruzeiro. The good news for Lasmar was that the operation on Neymar on Saturday was a success. And there was more good news on Sunday in that there were no injuries for any of Atletico’s players. But Lasmar won’t have been too happy with the result of his team. Despite playing at home, and against ten men for most of the second half, lost by a goal to nil. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, will be happy to have put their 4-2 midweek defeat against Racing in Argentina behind them.
The other big derby of the day Santos v. Corinthians in Sao Paulo. Both teams had been involved in the Libertadores last week – Corinthians played in Colombia on Wednesday and Santos played in Peru on Thursday. So in some ways this match was a test of endurance and the powers of recovery more than anything else. As it happens, Santos made a few changes to their team and substitute Diogo Vitor scored the equaliser for them after Renê Júnior’s opener for Corinthians. I’m not an avid follower of the Cearense State Championship, but the match between Fortaleza and Ceara is a noteworthy event for that part of the world. That match ended 1-1.
Admittedly, none of these weekend’s three classicos are likely to be remembered in history, but knowing which teams possess the local braging rights is important information for the avid football fan. And it is Brazilfooty’s duty to let you know. So there you have it.
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