The Cruzeiro fan present at Mineirão last Saturday (10) experienced different emotions. First, the excitement over the signing of midfielder Gerson, who was presented with a celebration to the more than 35 thousand present at the stadium. Then, the frustration due to the 2-1 defeat to Pouso Alegre, in the opening round of the Campeonato Mineiro.
Gerson went to the pitch accompanied by family members and Pedro Loureiro, main shareholder of Cruzeiro’s Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF). The midfielder wore the number 97 shirt, alluding to the year Raposa won the last Libertadores (1997). The contract signed by the 28-year-old athlete, who came from Zenit, in Russia, and was multi-champion with Flamengo, is valid until 2030. The club did not disclose values, but treats the negotiation as “historic for Brazilian football”.
With the ball rolling, however, Pouso Alegre needed just four minutes to ruin the celestial party, with Alexandre. In the final stage, at ten, midfielder Gabriel Tota joined the visiting team, returning to the field after two years and two months eliminated from football for involvement in match-fixing schemes. He has not played since May 2023, when he played for Ypiranga-RS.
In stoppage time, full-back Kauã Prates scored, but it was not enough to avoid defeat in Tite’s debut in charge of Cruzeiro. The coach took an alternative team to the field, made up of players from the base, reserves and those returning from loan.
Three more games moved the first round of the Campeonato Mineiro. In the match that opened the State Championship, Uberlândia and Tombense did not come from scratch at Parque do Sabiá, in Uberlândia (MG). Same score as URT and North at the Zama Maciel Stadium, in Patos de Minas (MG). Democrat beat Itabirito at the Castor Cifuentes Stadium, in Nova Lima (MG), 1-0.
Deu Verdão in the classic of the colonies
The first round of the Campeonato Paulista has already reserved a classic between the Portuguese and Italian colonies of São Paulo for Saturday night. Better for Palmeiras, who beat Portuguesa 1-0 at Canindé.
The goal for the current runners-up came from Luighi, seven minutes into the final stage. Fellow striker Igor Torres, from Lusa, was sent off three minutes before Verdão took the lead. Midfielder Marlon Freitas, formerly of Botafogo, made his debut in the team led by Abel Ferreira, who chose a mixed team.
In another clash, Guarani and Primavera drew 1-1 at Brinco de Ouro da Princesa, in Campinas (SP). Defender Raphael Rodrigues, in the 20th minute of the second half, opened the scoring for Bugre, but striker Josiel, in the 50th minute, avoided the defeat of Fantasma, newcomers to the Paulistão elite, scoring the first goal for the club from Indaiatuba (SP) in the first division.
Inter advances and continues in search of the Copinha sixth. Photo: Nathan Bizotto/Internacional
Tricolor victory in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul
The only team to win on the first Saturday of the Campeonato Gaúcho was Grêmio, who beat Avenida 4-0 at Estádio dos Eucaliptos, in Santa Cruz do Sul (RS). Striker Francis Amuzu, defender Wagner Leonardo, midfielder Arthur and midfielder Roger scored for Tricolor, which had the debut of full-back Caio Paulista and coach Luís Castro. All the goals came in the second half.
Gauchão started with two 1-1 draws. At the Alfredo Jaconi Stadium, in Caxias do Sul (RS), Juventude and Ypiranga found the net once each, as did Guarany and Monsoon, who dueled at the Estrela D’Alva Stadium, in Bagé (RS).
Londrina scores heroic draw
Back in Series A of the Brazilian Championship, Coritiba stumbled again at home in the Campeonato Paranaense. On Saturday afternoon, even though the match ended with two more men, Coxa did not come out of a 2-2 draw with Londrina, at Couto Pereira, in Curitiba.
Tubarão, as the team from the interior is known, opened the scoring with Iago Teles, but fellow striker Thiago Azaf equalized, with a penalty kick that led to the expulsion of defender Wallace. With one more, Coritiba took the lead with midfielder Matheus Dias. Just before stoppage time, full-back Kevyn equalized. Midfielder André Júnior even received a red card in the final minutes, but Londrina held on to the result.
Defeated last Wednesday (7) by Foz do Iguaçu, 3-2, also in Couto, Coxa scored the first point in the State. Tubarão, who debuted by beating current champions Operário 2-0, at Estádio do Café, in Londrina (PR), have four points.
Also on Saturday, the second round of Paranaense opened with the rerun of the last final, between Operário and Maringá, at the Estádio Germano Krüger, in Ponta Grossa (PR). The teams were 1-1. Fantasma scored the first point, while Dogão – who drew 3-3 with Cianorte at the Estádio Albino Turbay, in Cianorte (PR), last Wednesday – reached two points in the standings.
Ceará debuts with victory in 2026
Ceará’s debut in the Cearense Championship was with a 1-0 victory over Floresta at Domingão, in Horizonte (CE). Striker Enzo Lodovico scored the goal for Vozão, who went to the field with the under-20 team. Saturday’s commitment was valid for the second round of the State Championship – Alvinegro was off in the first.
The current two-time champion from Ceará returns to the field this Wednesday (14), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), against Maranguape, at the Presidente Vargas Stadium, in Fortaleza. The game will be broadcast live on TV Brasil, in partnership with TV Ceará.
In another match on Saturday for the State Championship, Quixadá hosted Maracanã at Abilhão, in Quixadá (CE), and won 1-0. Canarinho do Sertão, as the club is known, has four points after two rounds, while Bicolor de Maracanaú (CE) has accumulated two defeats and remains at zero.
