Athletico avoids high investments, but reaps the rewards of good management

Athletico has been a rare example in Brazil of a club that has gone through the Covid-19 pandemic without incurring new debts, despite the scenario that has caused a drop in revenue. It is also the only one currently playing three tournaments simultaneously, being a finalist in two of them: the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Sudamericana.

Seeking their second international title in three years, the team will face Red Bull Bragantino this Saturday (20th) in the continental competition decision. The duel will be at 5 pm (GMT), at the Centenário stadium, in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The search for a two-time championship in the South American knockout, won by the people of Paraná in 2018, is one of the reflections of the good results obtained by the club based on a management model supported by three pillars: sale of broadcasting rights, box office together with a partner fan and athlete transfers.

Contrary to 14 of the 20 clubs participating in the Serie A of the Brazilian Championship in 2020, which ended the fiscal year with deficits, Athletico had a surplus of R$ 136 million, according to data from the Itáu BBA report on the financial statement of clubs.

“We have a continuous administration, within the same policies and strategies, applied for years. Always spending less than we earn, without doing crazy things, such as investing to win at any price. Mainly because, in football, this guarantee does not exist. “, tells the sheet the president of the Athletico Administrative Council, Mario Celso Petraglia.

In the long term, however, the club will still have to bear a debt of R$ 459 million, to finance the renovation of the Arena da Baixada.

Even with the significant drop in revenue from 2019 to 2020, such as the collection with TV rights (from BRL 167 million in the first year to BRL 75 million in the second), the club remained in the blue, mainly due to the increase in almost 50% of the revenue generated from the sale of players, totaling R$152 million last season.

Two negotiations were decisive in reaching this value. The first was the sale of defensive midfielder Bruno Guimarães to Lyon (FRA), for 20 million euros (R$ 93 million at the time). Afterwards, Nice (FRA) paid 8 million euros (about R$ 47 million at the time) for defender Robson Bambu.

Already during the pandemic, a decision by Petraglia also had an impact on the accounts. The officer chose not to reduce membership dues on the grounds that “the club would go broke” if not helped.

The alarming tone paid off. Despite the health crisis, revenue from members and box office, which are added to the balance sheet, was the club’s third largest in 2020, yielding BRL 27 million to the association’s coffers, a drop of 48% compared to the previous year (BRL 52 million).

Even with cash on hand, the top hat has implemented a cost-cutting policy and does not invest in hiring big stars.

Currently, coach Alberto Valentim commands a team that mixes experienced athletes, such as goalkeeper Santos, 31, and defender Thiago Heleno, 33, with younger players, such as full-back Abner, 21, and forward Renato Kayzer, 25.

In the campaign that led the team to the decision of the Sudamericana, Athletico went through traditional teams such as América de Cali (COL), LDU (EQU) and Peñarol (URU).

In the Copa do Brasil, especially in the final stretch, the path was not easy either. In the quarterfinals, they eliminated Santos and, in the semifinals, they passed Flamengo — the decision will be against Atlético-MG, in games scheduled for December 12th and 15th. Champion in 2019, the coach Valentim’s team seeks the second title.

The duel with the cariocas was especially fundamental to motivate the players of the Paraná team.

Despite the huge financial difference between the club with the highest sales in the country in 2020, with BRL 595 million, and the seventh in this ranking, with BRL 279 million, Athletico beat Flamengo in the middle of Maracanã by 3-0 in the return game, after a 2-2 on the way.

According to Petraglia, the management’s next step will now be to open the club’s capital. “With this, we want to preserve our talents for longer.”