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Atlético-MG enters the field of play on Monday night, in Pituaçu, at 8:00 p.m. (Brasilia time), against Bahia, for the 17th day of the Brazilian Championship. In case of victory by any score, the Gallo regains the leadership of the competition, even having one game less than the two main competitors at this time: Flamengo and Internacional. The match will mark reunions. And, for Jorge Sampaoli’s team, the challenge is to break a 17-year-old taboo.
This is the time since Atlético’s last victory against Bahia in Salvador. It was on April 19, 2003, in a match valid for that year’s Brasileirão. Galo won 4-2 at Fonte Nova, with goals from Guilherme (2x), Alexandre and André Luís. Jair and Nonato discounted for the local team.
Last Bahia x Atlético-MG, in 2019: 1 to 1, in Fonte Nova – Photo: Bruno Cantini / Atlético-MG
Since then, Bahía has hosted Atlético in seven Brasileirão games (two in Pituaçu, five in Fonte Nova). Interestingly, the quick winner of the Gallo is also a Bahian fast, as the seven duels between the two teams in Salvador since then ended in a draw (three times 1 to 1, twice 0 to 0 and twice 2 to 2).
If the tie was, until now, the most common result between Bahía and Atlético in this century, Galo’s team led by Jorge Sampaoli, against the other, draws very little. It is the team with the least equal points on the scoreboard in this Brasileirão, one, only the stumbling block of the last round, against Fluminense. It is an element that indicates that the taboo will fall this Monday, to one side.
Jorge Sampaoli, Atlético-MG coach – Photo: Pedro Souza / Atlético-MG
El Gallo will check acquaintances in Pituaçu. On the field, defensive midfielder Elías should be the starter for Bahia. The player defended Atlético for three years and left earlier this season. He spent more than six months without a club, until Bahia announced it in September. Galo’s departure was not entirely friendly. The midfielder sued the club and already had a favorable decision in court.
Elias training in Bahia – Photo: Bruno Queiroz / EC Bahia / Disclosure
There are other meetings planned. The coach of Bahía is Mano Menezes, who commanded Cruzeiro, Galo’s main rival, in 235 games, adding the two passes he had in Toca da Raposa. Only Mano is suspended, as he was sent off in the last round, as well as his assistant Sidnei Lobo.
Thus, two other assistants will lead Tricolor Baiano on the bench: Cláudio Prates and James Freitas. The second was at Atlético until March of this year. He was even the commander of the Gallo in the last classic against Cruzeiro (athletics wins 2-1). James was fired from Rooster in a restructuring of the football department. And he will be a rival this Monday.
