The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has announced the referee for the highly anticipated derby between Cruzeiro Esporte Clube and Atlético, valid for the 14th round of the Brasileirão. The match, expected to electrify the Mineirão stadium, is scheduled for this Saturday, May 2nd, at 9 PM. Flávio Rodrigues de Souza, a FIFA-badged referee from São Paulo, will be in charge of the game.

The appointment of Flávio Rodrigues de Souza was made public by the CBF on Thursday afternoon, April 30th. He is an experienced referee, holding a FIFA badge, and has officiated several important national football matches. The expectation is that his experience will contribute to the fairness and smooth running of the clash between the Minas Gerais rivals.

This season, Flávio Rodrigues de Souza has already overseen eight matches in Série A of the Brasileirão. Among them, he refereed the game between Flamengo and Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in the 5th round, on March 11th, at Maracanã, where Flamengo won 2-0. Ten days later, he also commanded the match between Fluminense and Atlético, in the 8th round, at the same Maracanã, with Fluminense winning 1-0.

The derby between Cruzeiro Esporte Clube and Atlético is always a highlight of the Brazilian football calendar, and the selection of the refereeing team is a crucial step in preparing for the encounter. The CBF is still expected to announce the names of the assistant referees and the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) official in the coming days, completing the officiating team for the match.

With the main referee confirmed, attention now turns to the final details and the anticipation of fans for this decisive clash in the Brasileirão. Both clubs are looking for a positive result for their campaigns in the competition.