Atletico Mineiro managed to claim the fourth spot back in 2016, which earned the team from Belo Horizonte a Copa Libertadores spot and more confidence, but this outfit simply failed to live up to the expectations one year later. The Copa Libertadores campaign for instance resulted in a disappointment as Atletico Mineiro failed to reach the quarter-final due to a defeat against Bolivian side Wilstermann. This early elimination provided Atletico Mineiro with the opportunity to focus on the Serie A, but the domestic league campaign didn't satisfy the fans at all.
This resulted in tons of pressure and manager Roger Machado and his replacement Rogerio Micale got sacked. Oswaldo de Oliveira took over in September, but he wasn't able to push this outfit to glory. The connection with the best seven spots was always there, but Atletico Mineiro simply failed to impress and to close that gap despite the presence of experienced stars like Fred and Robinho. De Oliveira's men managed to stay unbeaten in their last six Serie A matches of the season, but it was just too little too late. Atletico Mineiro finished ninth, which resulted in a ticket for the Copa Sudamericana, but that won't satisfy the fans at all. They will demand better performances next year.
