Cruzeiro and Vila Nova Clash in Copa do Brasil Match

Belo Horizonte, Brazil — Cruzeiro will face Vila Nova on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Mineirão Stadium in a Copa do Brasil match. This game marks the first leg of the third round of the tournament.

The match will be broadcasted live on sportv and Premiere, ensuring fans across Brazil can follow the action. The return leg is scheduled for May 22 at Serra Dourada in Goiânia, and if the aggregate score is tied, a penalty shootout will determine which team advances to the next round.

Cruzeiro enters the match on the heels of a victory against Vasco, winning 1-0 in a Brasileirão clash on April 27. This win places the team under coach Leonardo Jardim in the top four of the league standings, setting a positive tone for their Copa do Brasil campaign.

“We are focused on maintaining our momentum from the last game,” said Jardim. He is hoping to secure his first consecutive wins since taking over the team in February. Key player Fabrício Bruno returns from suspension and is expected to bolster the defense. However, the lineup may also see Jonathan Jesus take a position to allow Villalba to play as left-back.

On the other hand, Vila Nova is enjoying an unbeaten streak of four games in Série B, coming off consecutive victories over Botafogo-SP and Chapecoense. The team, coached by Rafael Lacerda, aims to continue its impressive form by challenging Cruzeiro and building on its previous Copa do Brasil performances, where they eliminated Inter de Limeira and Rio Branco.

Vila Nova will be without midfielder Jean Mota due to a muscular injury, with João Vieira likely stepping in as his replacement. The team seeks to cause an upset against the historically dominant Cruzeiro, who have won the Copa do Brasil six times.

Referee Raphael Claus will officiate the match, supported by assistants Daniel Luís Marques and Luiz Alberto Andrini Nogueira. Fans are eager to see which team will gain the upper hand before the decisive second leg. This matchup promises to be an exciting chapter in the ongoing saga of the Copa do Brasil.