In the tradition of football in Brazil there are 12 giant clubs: four from the main hubs of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and two from Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre.
But times are changing. The void is opening, new forces are breaking through. Three of the 12 clubs are now considered super clubs: potentially league champions Atletico Mineiro plus Flamengo and Palmeiras, who will play in the Copa Libertadores, South American Champions League final on Monday. Seven a week. Others in the traditional ‘big 12’ have hit hard times. Cruzeiro and Vasco da Gama were condemned for another year in second place. Their space is being squeezed by burgeoning clubs who are busy writing the most exciting chapters in their history.
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Two such clubs will contest the Copa Sudamericana, the CONMEBOL equivalent of UEFA’s Europa League, in Uruguay on Saturday. Athletico Paranaense and Red Bull Bragantino will face each other at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium.
It might be an stretch to describe Athletico as an up-and-coming club – they’ve been around for over 20 years. Some consider them the 13th giant. They won the championship in 2001, reached the final of the Libertadores 4 years later and won the Sudamericana in 2018. From Curitiba in the south, an important component Important in the club’s self-image is the fact that it’s not part of the big city fat cat group.
But the Red Bull Bragantino is certainly an emerging force. From Braganca Paulista, a town on the outskirts of Sao Paulo about 65 miles from the capital, they were founded in the 1920s, like Athletico. Bragantino enjoyed some glory days about 30 years ago, finishing as a league runner-up in 1991, but sank back into regional anonymity in 2019, when the beverage maker took over.
There are similarities between the two clubs. Both are unusual. For example, Athletico refused to enter the local national championship with their first team. These competitions, held during the first few months of the year, are a controversial aspect of the Brazilian calendar, imposing too many meaningless matches on the big teams. Athletico dismisses everything as a hoax, using it to develop younger players and save gas for more serious races. In addition to the Sudamericana, they are also preparing for the highly regarded domestic cup final, the title they won two years ago. Meanwhile, Bragantino is trying to bring a more stable and streamlined business model to the volatile world of Brazilian football. Crucially, Mauricio Barbieri, their young coach, has been at the helm for more than a year – longer than any other boss in the Brazilian first division.
Another common point is that the purpose, in addition to winning titles, is also making money from player transfers. During their Sudamericana campaign, both had to part with a star. Athletico transfers winger Vitinho to Dynamo Kiev, while Bragantino lost player (and Olympic gold medalist) Claudinho come Zenit St Petersburg.
But in terms of gameplay, there is a significant difference. Athletico coach Alberto Valentim, who arrived only recently, has continued to maintain a pattern of fine play that has been typical of Brazilian football in recent decades – defending and counter-attacking deep. The basic formation is 3-4-3, with Uruguayan Nikao and David Terans being quick, intelligent wingers with plenty of space to link up with centre-back Renato Kayser. The key defensive figure was captain Thiago Heleno, who won the 2018 championship in a penalty shootout against Junior Barranquilla’s. Colombia with a kick of glorious emphasis. He sat in the middle of the back three, operating in tight spaces.
Thiago Heleno would not be a good fit for the Bragantino team. Their play model is more modern. central defender Leo Ortiz and Fabricio Bruno Very rare in Brazil’s domestic game because of their ability to play up front. Leo Ortiz’s form is so good that he was recently called up to the Brazil squad for the World Cup qualifiers. Bragantino, then, aim to keep their compact block at the bottom of the pitch, prioritizing the passing combinations that show midfielder Bruno Praxedes’ promise. The main attacking threat is the talented winger Artur, who has six targets in the campaign and has been linked with interest from Barcelona. On the left wing, young Argentinian Tomas Cuello is developing well, keeping centre-back Ytalo well supplied.
They are probably narrow favorites. Third in the table, Athletico is not entirely clear about the danger of relegation. Bragantino is fourth, and even if they lose on Saturday, they look set to be guaranteed a spot in next year’s Libertadores. For a club that was in the second division when its partnership with Red Bull began less than three years ago, this is rapid progress. Can they reach the title of Sudamericana? Or will a day be brought by the added experience of Athletico, the oldest team ‘to emerge?’
