Atlético-MG acted quickly after the dismissal of Antonio “Turco” Mohamed and agreed to the return of Cuca. The 59-year-old coach, who led Galo to the titles of the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil in 2021, was announced this Saturday (23), a day after the club decided to leave the Argentine coach.
Cuca left Atlético in December last year, citing “personal, family reasons”, according to a note released by Galo at the time. The statement also stated that the coach would not command another team in 2022. His replacement was precisely Turco Mohamed.
“I had a call from the board and, momentarily, I interrupted my project. I couldn’t help but answer this call from the board, from the mass [torcida] and being able to join the group of players again in this difficult endeavor, but with enough optimism so that we can meet everyone’s wishes. Our history with Galo is very long, very beautiful. I had no way, at that moment, to deny my services to the club I love so much”, said Cuca, in a video released by Atlético.
The prediction is that Cuca’s debut will be next Sunday (31), at 16:00 (Brasília time), against Internacional, in Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre, for the 20th round of the Brazilian. He arrives in Belo Horizonte on Monday (25). This Sunday (24), against Corinthians, at 6 pm, at Mineirão, Atlético will be led by permanent assistant Lucas Gonçalves.
The technician assumes the Galo in the third position of the Brazilian, with 32 points, four behind the leader Palmeiras. The team is also alive in Libertadores, qualified for the quarterfinals, where they will face Verdão, the same opponent that eliminated the miners in the last edition of the competition, in the semifinal.
It will be Cuca’s third spell at Atlético. He directed the alvinegra team in 224 games, with 128 wins, 48 draws, 48 losses and a 64.2% success rate. The first work was carried out between 2011 and 2013, marked by the two-time championship (2012 and 2013) and the unprecedented title of Libertadores (2013). The second, between March and December of last year, had the conquests of the State, the Copa do Brasil and the Brazilian, which had not been seen since 1971.
