Outlet compares Cássio and Matheus Cunha stats at Cruzeiro, see

Outlet compares Cássio and Matheus Cunha stats at Cruzeiro, see

Cruzeiro are going through a delicate moment in the Brazilian Championship, holding the unwanted distinction of the worst defense in the competition, with 20 goals conceded in 10 rounds.

At the center of the fans’ criticism is goalkeeper Matheus Cunha, the current first-choice keeper for Cruzeiro.

A comparison of the two goalkeepers’ numbers, compiled by ge, shows, however, that responsibility for the goals is shared equally with veteran Cássio, who is sidelined with an injury.

📊 Breakdown

Although Matheus Cunha has been receiving most of the external pressure, the statistics reveal a similar defensive performance between the two goalkeepers in the current competition:

• Goals conceded: Both have conceded exactly 10 goals in the league.
• Goals-per-minute average: Cássio conceded 1 goal every 48 minutes on the field (480 total minutes). Matheus Cunha, meanwhile, was beaten every 56 minutes (561 total minutes).
• Clean sheets: Matheus Cunha managed to keep two clean sheets (a draw with Santos and a win over Vitória). Cássio was unable to finish any match without conceding before getting injured.

🧤 Scenario

Matheus Cunha took over as the starter on an emergency basis during the match against Flamengo, when Cássio suffered a serious injury to his left knee. Since then, he has been Cruzeiro’s first-choice goalkeeper in five full matches.

For commentator Henrique Fernandes, the excessive pressure on Cunha is unfair, considering the context of a chaotic defense and the lack of options in the current squad:

"I understand Cruzeiro fans’ frustration with Cunha, but I think it’s not very smart to put even more pressure on him. Cruzeiro has nowhere else to turn. It’s Cunha or Otávio. [...] Cunha is okay as a backup, to mature and grow, but right now he’s the starter. He inherited a chaotic defense and a frustrated fan base. He’s going to be exposed. But it will be him until June."

🗓️ Next match

Looking to bounce back and escape the relegation zone — the team are languishing in 19th place with only seven points from 30 available — Cruzeiro return to action this Sunday. Raposa will face Bragantino at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) in a match valid for the 11th round of the Brazilian Championship.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.