Only two weeks have passed since he took over as coach and he already has a title. This is Gabriel Milito that last March 24 he was presented as coach of Atlético Mineiro and this Sunday became champion after defeating their classic Cruzeiro by 3 to 1, in the second leg of the Mineiro championship final. It’s only been 14 days. The Argentine coach had made his debut in the first leg of this competition, on March 30, and during the week he directed his second match for the Copa Libertadores.
Seven months after his surprise resignation from Argentinos Juniors after an Argentine Cup defeat against San Martín de San Juan, Gabriel Milito was mentioned in several teams (including Argentine soccer teams such as Boca, Vélez and Talleres), but in the end he was leaned outside. And he traveled to Brazil to begin his new stage in his career as coach of Atlético Mineiro. In the meantime he received offers from several teams and even Spanish football, but he decided to reject them.
And it was due to the departure of Luiz Felipe Scolari (Felipao) that The Argentine decided to sign with the Belo Horizonte team. His first game in charge of the team was last Saturday, at the Arena do Galo, in a 2-2 draw against the same rival as this Sunday. A tie that tasted like defeat because his team was winning 2-0 and they tied it in the last play.
He had revenge last Wednesday, for the Copa Libertadores, in the 4-1 victory over Caracas of Venezuela, as a visitor. However, the Marshal had to follow that match from the audience because he had to meet a suspension date from his time in Argentinos Juniors. For this reason, the instructions from the substitutes’ bench were given by Leandro Ávila.
And this Sunday, he had a match with which he could begin to leave good impressions among the Galo fans and it was revenge for the classic against Cruzeiro, in the final of the Mineiro championship. After that tie in the first leg, Atlético Mineiro visited Cruzeiro at Mineirao and the outcome was successful.
Was 3 to 1 victory for those led by Gabriel Milito. All the emotions came in the second stage and it was the locals who started winning with the goal scored by Mateus Vital, after seven minutes. However, the visitors reacted and turned the match around: Renzo Saravia (ex-Racing right back) established the 1-1 at 20; center forward Hulk, from a penalty, made it 2 to 1 at 32 and Gustavo Scarpa resolved the final at 48, so that Atlético Mineiro became champion.
In the starting lineup of the team that won the title, the Argentines were starters Matías Zaracho Rodrigo Battaglia as well as the author of the first goal, Renzo Saravia.
Once the match is over He hugged his entire coaching staff and celebrated on the playing field. the important championship that allows him to start his cycle in the Belo Horizonte team on the right foot in the face of a year full of challenges such as the Brasileirao, which begins next weekend, the Copa Libertadores and also the Copa do Brasil .
It is Gabriel Milito’s first title as coach and it is the 49th Mineiro championship for the Galos, the fifth in a row. In addition, Atlético Mineiro is the top winner of this competition over its classic rival, which has 38. What is coming for the team led by the Argentine coach is Rosario Central, for the second date of group G of the Copa Libertadores. The Brazilians will receive the Rosario team on Wednesday from 7 p.m., at the Arena do Galo.