Atlético Mineiro’s city rivals have been mocking the Galo’s shock defeat at the FIFA Club World Cup and have even gone as far as to request that the name of Av. Raja Gabaglia be changed to Av. Raja Casablanca.
Since last night’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Moroccan champions, the Galo have become the target of Brazilian football jokes. No fans have enjoyed this more than that of Cruzeiro, this year’s Brasileirão champions, whose euphoria has led them to request the name-change of one of Belo Horizonte’s most famous avenues.
A petition requesting exactly that was circulated on the internet to recruit signatures in support of the change. Once complete, it was then submitted to the Legislative Assembly of Belo Horizonte.
“The traffic on Raja is at times hellish and so the Assembly of Belo Horizonte should immediately change the name of it to Av. Raja Casablanca so that all the Atleticanos who live in the area avoid it, thus freeing it up for anyone who is a two-time champion of the Copa Libertadores and Brasileirão, and champion of the Brazilian Cup,” said the petition.
Within minutes of the game in Marrakech, Cruzeiro fans had gathered in the avenue to commemorate the downfall of their fiercest rivals.
