Atlético and Cruzeiro begin the week with opposing goals.

Mines 247 – The two main teams from Minas Gerais enter the week with very different mindsets. At Cruzeiro, the atmosphere is one of apprehension due to the last two defeats, against São Paulo and Internacional, which caused the team to drop from first to sixth place in the Brazilian Championship. Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Atlético Mineiro is the best possible. With a clear lead in the championship and coming off two victories against Grêmio and Portuguesa, Atlético is only thinking about building momentum.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho's team celebrates its sole leadership of the Brasileirão after beating Portuguesa 2-0 at home. Next Saturday they will travel to Santa Catarina to face Figueirense, which should see the debut of Uruguayan striker Loco Abreu, formerly of Botafogo. With 19 points in eight games, Galo's next match could mark the return of striker Guilherme, who has been out for a long time recovering from an injury.

While it's not yet possible to speak of a crisis at Cruzeiro's training ground, a victory next Saturday against Grêmio at Arena Independência will be crucial to restoring confidence to the team. After leading the Brasileirão, Cruzeiro has lost two consecutive games and is now out of the Libertadores qualification zone, in sixth place. During the week, the board hopes to finalize the documentation for new signings Borges and Martinuccio so they can be available for coach Celso Roth.

The fan bases that divide the state are experiencing very different moments in the current championship. Cruzeiro fans, who before the championship were skeptical about the team, were thrilled with the good start to the competition and are now worried again. Atlético Mineiro fans, on the other hand, haven't been this enthusiastic about their team in a long time. Atlético Mineiro's leadership and good football will certainly guarantee a full house in Belo Horizonte throughout the Brazilian Championship.