After a strong start to the season – which included a 21-game unbeaten streak, a solid performance in the Copa Libertadores group stage and a Campeonato Mineiro title over city rivals Atlético Mineiro –, Cruzeiro were largely appointed as major contenders for the 2019 national and international competitions titles.[2][3][4] However, the team had a sharp drop in yeld from May, causing them to fight against relegation since the early rounds of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
On 26 May, corruption and mismanagement scandals involving the Cruzeiro's board were revealed by the Rede Globo program Fantástico,[5] causing huge repercussions inside and outside the club. Police investigations,[6] financial difficulties[7] and political unstability[8] would be a constant throughout the year at Cruzeiro, leading to a devastating crisis that ended up affecting the team's performance on the pitch.
On 30 July, Cruzeiro were knocked out of Copa Libertadores on penalties to River Plate in the round of 16 stage, after a 0–0 tie on aggregate.[9]
On 7 August, following a run of bad results – having the team won just 1 of 18 matches –, Cruzeiro announced the departure of manager Mano Menezes,[10] ending a more than three years spell in the club. Four days later, Rogério Ceni was announced as the new team's manager.[11]
Rogério Ceni was sacked on 26 September, after just 8 games in charge.[13] Disagreements with squad members and lack of support from the club board were cited as the main causes for dismissal.[14] On 27 September, Abel Braga was appointed as the new team's manager.[15]
Incapable of improving the team's performance, Abel Braga left Cruzeiro on 29 November,[16] having achieved only 3 wins in 14 games. On the same day, Adilson Batista was announced as the manager for the last three rounds of the championship,[17] taking the team in 17th position in the table.
In financial, technical and political collapse, Cruzeiro were relegated to Campeonato Brasileiro Série B for the first time in their history on 8 December, after a 2–0 loss to Palmeiras at Mineirão.[18]
The group stage draw for the 2019 Copa Libertadores was made on 17 December 2018.[19] Cruzeiro were drawn into Group B with Emelec, Huracán and Deportivo Lara.
