Atletico Mineiro vs Athletico PR – News and Probable Lineups
Atletico Mineiro seeks to enhance their unbeaten streak at home as they host Athletico Paranaense at Arena MRV this Sunday for round 10 of the 2026 Brasileiro season.
The home team enters this match after a resounding 4-0 triumph against Chapecoense, which marked their finest attacking effort of the season, breaking a streak of four straight losses on the road in the league.
Meanwhile, Athletico Paranaense experienced an abrupt stop to their three-match winning streak, encountering their most significant defeat of the season with a 3-0 loss to Bahia in Salvador.
Match overview
The convincing victory over Chapecoense provided a substantial boost for Atletico Mineiro, ending their away losing streak and demonstrating notable improvement.
This result highlighted effective strategies from Eduardo Dominguez, especially with Bernard, Reinier, and Cuello, alongside a more productive offensive style.
Galo currently holds three wins, two draws, and four losses in nine matches, placing them ninth in the table with 11 points.
A key aspect of Mineiro’s campaign has been their performance at Arena MRV, where they remain unbeaten, with two wins and two draws.
The hosts will aim to leverage their home advantage to foster consistency in the league as they strive to close the gap to the leaders.
However, with Copa Sudamericana fixtures now looming, the challenge will be to sustain a competitive level across two tournaments, necessitating more extensive squad rotation and management.
Athletico Paranaense saw their momentum disrupted with a heavy loss to Bahia.
Odair Hellmann’s team, which had been performing exceptionally well and briefly reached second place, now finds themselves in fifth place with five wins, one draw, and three losses, totaling 16 points.
The defeat against Bahia revealed various vulnerabilities for Rubro-Negro, particularly during away matches, where they have managed just one league win this season.
Despite Kevin Viveros being among the standout players in the league, his subdued performance last time raised concerns about the team’s reliance on him.
Steven Mendoza was the most threatening player for his side in their last game, but he couldn’t avert a disappointing outcome.
To remain in contention for a top-four finish, Paranaense needs to seek more balance and consistency, especially on the road.
Past encounters indicate that these two teams are closely matched. In the 2024 season, each side secured a 1-0 victory on home turf—Athletico Paranaense in Curitiba and Atletico Mineiro in the return leg.
Team News
The emphatic victory against Chapecoense provided significant encouragement for Eduardo Dominguez, particularly in terms of their attacking play.
Both Bernard and Reinier found the back of the net and are likely to keep their spots in the lineup after demonstrating strong synergy with Hulk and Cuello.
Victor Hugo, who has returned from injury, made a positive impression upon his comeback, adding more depth to the squad.
Recent tactical changes—Natanael at full-back, Lyanco alongside Ruan at centre-back, and Tomas Perez in midfield—are expected to continue. Hulk was rested in the second half, indicating that Dominguez is managing players’ workloads due to a busy schedule.
Mamady Cisse is available again after international fixtures, while Alexsander remains a doubt and Maycon is still unavailable due to injury.
Athletico Paranaense’s loss to Bahia has raised questions about the squad’s fitness levels.
Lucas Esquivel’s participation is uncertain due to injury, and Luiz Gustavo is also a doubt with knee problems.
The defense continues to evolve, with Carlos Teran and Leo Pele featuring more prominently, while Isaac is still not fit enough to start.
In the attacking department, Kevin Viveros will be looking to regain his best form after a lackluster showing last time.
Dudu Kogitzki was in the starting lineup for the last match but was substituted, reflecting Odair Hellmann’s persistent quest for greater consistency within his squad.
Atletico Mineiro probable starting XI:
Everson; Nathanael, Lyanco, Rouen, Lodi; Perez, Hugo, Cuello, Bernard; Reinier, Hulk
Athletico Paranaense probable starting XI:
Saints; Benavidez, Teran, Aguirre; Esquivel, Mendoza, Jadson, Gustavo; Dudu, Viveros, Julimar
Atletico Mineiro continues to remain unbeaten at Arena MRV during the Brasileiro thus far and will aim to capitalize on their home advantage. Motivated by their first away win, they will strive to build on that momentum and establish a successful streak.
Athletico Paranaense, on the other hand, will still be recovering from a heavy loss to Bahia, with another away fixture potentially presenting challenges given their inconsistent performance on the road.
As Atletico Mineiro has never suffered a defeat to Paranaense since relocating to their current stadium, the signs point towards another home victory.

