Cruzeiro supporters took their frustration to the edge of the Mineirão on Sunday afternoon, just before the 16h meeting with Athletico-PR in the 26ª rodada of the Campeonato Brasileiro. The mood around the club was not celebration. It was disappointment, sharpened by what many fans felt had been a season below the level Cruzeiro should deliver.
Wadson Moreira said he expected more from Cruzeiro in the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil, and described the team as “meio apático” at times during matches. Lúcio Diniz went further, saying the torcida was frustrated because Cruzeiro carries the third-largest payroll in the country and should have gone deeper in the cups. He said criticism was fair, but also called Artur Jorge an excellent coach.
That reaction matters because it came after a stretch in which Cruzeiro had already fallen short in knockout competitions, leaving league matches like this one to carry more weight. The disappointment was not abstract. After the elimination to Atlético in the Copa do Brasil, Artur Jorge, the players and Bruno Spindel were targeted by protests in Belo Horizonte, and criticism of the team was even placed on signs in public places.
But the frustration did not swallow every voice in the stands. Ramon Rodrigues said he would support the team and look for a victory against Athletico-PR, even as he accepted that supporters had reason to demand more. His view captured the split around Cruzeiro on Sunday: anger over what has gone wrong, and the belief that the same team still needs backing when the match begins.
For Cruzeiro, the test against Athletico-PR was about more than three points. It was a chance to show whether the criticism had landed and whether the team could answer it on the field. If it did not, the dissatisfaction already loud before kickoff would only grow louder after it.
