Atletico Mineiro had looked to build on last season’s 2nd-placed finish this year, but they ultimately finished a little lower this time around, having to settle for 4th spot. With the fantastically talented squad that they had assembled – with the likes of Robinho, Fred, Romulo Otero, Lucas Pratto, Juan Cazares and Frickson Erazo – many expected them to finish in a better position, with the board so unhappy with the way the season ended that they sacked coach Marcelo Oliveira with just a couple of weeks of the season remaining. He had been in charge for just six months. Part of the reason for that sacking was that Atletico Mineiro had reached the final of the Brazilian Cup, only to lose 3-1 at home to Gremio in the first leg, before ultimately losing the tie. Having reached the latter stages of the cup competition, the team had begun to prioritise Brazilian Cup success over their league form, but ultimately this balancing act didn’t pay off. One of the main issues for Atletico was that they started the season so poorly that it was always going to be a big ask to catch with Palmeiras at the top of the table. They beat Santos on the opening day to give false hope to their fans, after which they went seven matches without tasting victory. They also had dreadful away form, winning just four times on the road all year, which is not the kind of form a serious title challenger would come up with. When they were good they were really good, with so many international-calibre players in the squad, but too often they didn’t quite click.
Both Fred and Robinho will come out of this season with their reputation intact, as both of the former Brazil internationals managed to get their name on the scoresheet 12 times, while Fred provided five assists and Robinho eight. At the other end of the pitch, though, the Alvinegro’s defenders had a year to forget, with the team conceding a whopping 53 league goals, the fifth most in the division. Injuries to Marcos Rocha and Leonardo Silva didn’t help, while the underwhelming performances of their replacements demonstrated just how attack-heavy the Atletico squad was.
As they now plan for the 2017 season, Atletico Mineiro know that they must solidify the back line. They have an embarrassment of attacking riches, but it is a tough ask to rely on an approach of ‘we’ll score more than they score’ over the course of a whole league campaign, so some additions in defence will be needed. They may also, however, need to replace one or two of their attackers, with Robinho and Lucas Pratto being targeted by clubs from across the continent and from Europe too. Whatever squad they manage to put together, it will be led by Roger Machado, the man they have brought in to lead the team through the 2017 season. At just 41 years of age, the ex-Gremio coach is fairly inexperienced, but he is renowned for his intensity and is sure to get the most out of his star-studded squad.
