Filipe Luis set for instant return and plunged into immediate relegation battle

Filipe Luis is reportedly the leading candidate to become the next Cruzeiro manager, weeks after being sacked by Flamengo.

The ex-Chelsea and Atletico Madrid defender was dismissed by his former club in early March, despite enjoying a hugely successful spell in the Brazilian Serie A.

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This came as a major shock, with Luis collecting a host of major trophies in his 15-month tenure.

Appointed in September 2024, he won the Brazilian Cup two months later before clinching the league title in his first season in charge.

Copa Libertadores glory followed, as well as numerous other Super Cups and silverware, before things came to an abrupt end.

But Luis’ trophy-laden stint was cut short just hours after an 8-0 win over Mudureira (11-0 on aggregate), with reports later emerging that he had held secret talks with senior figures at Chelsea over joining sister club Strasbourg.

Time’s up for Tite

According to Brazilian outlet Globo, Luis is now the favourite to take the reins at Cruzeiro, after the sacking of Tite.

The outlet claim that Luis is an attractive option, who has previously worked with some players on the team, while he also knows current director of football Bruno Spindel from his time at Flamengo.

Cruzeiro confirmed Tite’s dismissal on Monday morning, following a 3-3 draw with Vasco da Gama a day earlier.

This was the top-flight club’s third draw in six league games this season, with the other three ending in losses.

Having failed to register a win, the Brazilian Serie A side find themselves in the relegation zone, sitting second from bottom on three points.

And the poor run of form ultimately cost former Brazil boss Tite his job, with the club confirming his dismissal in a statement.

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It read: “Cruzeiro announces that it has decided to terminate Tite’s contract as the team’s head coach.

“Along with the head coach, assistant coaches Matheus Bachi and Vinicius Bergantin, as well as strength and conditioning coach Fabio Mahseredjian, are also leaving the club.

“We thank them for their service and wish them success in their future endeavours.

“For the time being, Cruzeiro’s first team will be led on an interim basis by Wesley Carvalho, the club’s permanent assistant coach.”

Tite took charge at Cruzeiro in December 2025, and managed a total of 17 games, winning eight of them, drawing thrice and losing the remaining six.

His departure comes just a week after he ended Cruzeiro’s six-year wait for Campeonato Mineiro glory.

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The Belo Horizonte outfit beat Atletico Mineiro to win the State Championship, but the final was marred by on-pitch violence, with a wild brawl seeing an astonishing 23 red cards given out.

Filipe Luis’ managerial career so far

In the wake of Tite’s sacking, Luis has been tipped for an immediate return to the dugout, and it isn’t hard to see why.

After being promoted from his role in charge of Flamengo’s Under-20s, the 40-year-old made an instant impact with the senior team.

Luis won the Copa Libertadores in 2025 as he scooped seven trophies in just 101 games for the club – this equates to a piece of silverware roughly every 14 matches.

His exploits also saw him named South American coach of the year in 2025.

Regarded as one of the hottest young coaches on the market, Luis has already been tipped as a future Chelsea and Atletico Madrid manager, with South American football expert Tim Vickery singing his praises to talkSPORT in December.