The board of directors of Atlético Mineiro officially announced, on the afternoon of this Thursday, February 12th, the termination of the relationship with coach Jorge Sampaoli. The decision was taken after an emergency meeting held at Cidade of Galo, motivated by the team’s unsatisfactory performance at the beginning of the season. The trigger for the change in technical command was the 3-3 draw against Remo, a match played at Arena MRV which exposed defensive weaknesses and increased the pressure from the fans on the work of the foreign technical committee.
The numbers presented by the black and white team in 2026 were decisive for the interruption of the project. In ten official matches played so far, Galo has won just two victories, accumulating a series of seven draws and one defeat. The managers’ internal assessment indicated that there were no clear signs of tactical or technical evolution that would justify keeping the Argentine in the position, especially considering the investments made in the squad for this year’s competitions.
Jorge Sampaoli is no longer the coach of Galo
After a meeting at Cidade of Galo, in the early afternoon of this Thursday (12/2), the parties reached an understanding to terminate the technician’s work.
For the match against Itabirito, this Saturday (14/2), at Nova Lima, the…pic.twitter.com/9se1i1O73h
—Atlético (@Atletico)February 12, 2026
With the immediate departure of Sampaoli and his direct assistants, the responsibility of commanding the team falls to Lucas Gonçalves, a member of the club’s permanent technical committee. The interim will have the mission of preparing the group for the decisive clash against Itabirito, scheduled for this Saturday at Nova Lima. Atlético is in a delicate situation in Campeonato Mineiro and runs a real risk of not advancing to the semi-finals, now depending on a combination of third party results to stay alive in the state dispute.
Negative retrospect and comparison with previous passage
The second spell of Jorge Sampaoli by Belo Horizonte fell far short of the expectations created after the success achieved in 2020. Contratado in September 2025 to replace Although Embora led the team to the final of the Copa Sul-Americana last year, the defeat on penalties to Lanús left deep marks and began a process of wear and tear that was accentuated by the poor results at the beginning of this season.
When coldly analyzing the statistics, the drop in performance becomes evident. Enquanto em 2020 o comandante obteve 26 vitórias em 45 jogos, conquistando o título mineiro, o ciclo atual encerra-se com apenas 10 triunfos em 34 partidas. The excess of draws — there were 16 in this second spell — demonstrated the team’s inability to maintain results or transform territorial dominance into goals, generating frustration in the stands and behind the scenes at the club.
Immediate challenges and climate in Cidade of Galo
The environment at the training center requires total focus on the athletes’ psychological recovery for the weekend’s commitment. The match against Itabirito is treated as a true final, as an early elimination in the state would represent a significant financial and institutional loss. Lucas Gonçalves takes on the task of simplifying tactical guidelines and shielding the dressing room, seeking to extract maximum competitiveness from the group in a short space of time.
Players who lost space under the command of Sampaoli, such as midfielder Gustavo Scarpa, may gain new opportunities in this transition phase. The board understands that the squad has enough technical quality to perform more than it had been presenting and hopes that the change in command will generate a new positive development. The fans’ dissatisfaction with the team’s passive stance on the field was one of the thermometers used by the directors to opt for rupture at this moment.
The search for a new coach has already begun, but the club is cautious in defining the ideal profile. The priority is to find a professional who can balance the defensive system, a critical point in recent performances, without giving up the offensive DNA historically required by Atletico players. Nomes are being evaluated on the national and international market, aiming for a long-term project that includes Campeonato Brasileiro and the other competitions on the calendar.
Financial impact and season planning
The dismissal of the technical committee implies termination costs that will have to be absorbed by the football budget, but the board considered the move necessary to avoid greater damage to the sports planning for 2026. The understanding is that maintaining the work could compromise the rest of the year, especially with the start of Brasileirão approaching. Management is now seeking to reorganize the house so that the new commander finds an environment conducive to work.
The ball market continues to be monitored, and the arrival of the new coach could influence specific movements of athletes arriving or leaving. The evaluation of each player’s individual performance will be reset from scratch, offering a chance at redemption for players who were in decline. The central objective is to put Atlético back among the protagonists of national football, correcting the route while there is still time to recover in the league tables.
Repercussion and expectations of the fans
On social media and around Arena MRV, the news of Sampaoli’s departure divided opinions, but the majority of fans expressed concern about the lack of victories. The pressure for immediate results will be the first challenge for the next coach, who will need to deal with the natural impatience of a passionate and demanding fan base. The draw against Remo, conceding three goals at home, was considered unacceptable for the aspirations of a giant of Brazilian football.
The board issued a note thanking the services provided by the Argentine, maintaining the protocol of cordiality, but behind the scenes the order is to quickly turn the page. The total focus is on Saturday’s match and the imperative need to score three points. Survival at Campeonato Mineiro is the first step towards restoring confidence and peace in the club’s day-to-day operations, allowing planning for the remainder of 2026 to be carried out with greater tranquility.
Perspectives for the new command
The profile desired by the black and white leadership is that of a coach with strong leadership and group management skills, fundamental characteristics for dealing with a squad full of stars. Experience in South American competitions is also an advantage, as the club maintains international ambitions. The definition of the new name should take place in the next few days, so that the professional can take advantage of any training windows before the start of longer national competitions.
Until the official announcement takes place, Lucas Gonçalves has carte blanche to cast the best he has at his disposal. Internal mobilization is great to ensure that the team enters the field with a different attitude in the face of Itabirito. The response of the players within the four lines will be the first indication of how the group absorbed the drastic change in command and what the real prospects are for the immediate future of Atlético in the season.
