Aiming to end the season with two more titles in their gallery, Athletico reached the first part of the goal this Saturday (20), by beating Red Bull Bragantino, 1-0, at the Centenário stadium, in Uruguay, where they won the bichampionship of the Copa Sudamericana.
Nikão was the one who defined the duel in Montevideo, which drew attention for receiving a small audience despite the importance of the game. With a capacity for around 60,000 people, most of its stands were empty.
If it can be considered a setback for the single decision model adopted by Conmebol in 2019, it does not overshadow Athletico’s success in the field and in management. After having won the second most important club tournament on the continent for the first time in 2018, the team from Paraná returned to a successful campaign.
The red-black administration has avoided making large investments and does not spend more than it collects. One of the few Brazilian teams to go through the Covid-19 pandemic without incurring new debts, even in a scenario of falling revenues, Athletico will still have to fight for the final of the Copa do Brasil. The decision will be against Atlético-MG, on December 12th and 15th.
In the national tournament, he will also fight for the bi-championship, after his recent title won in 2019. The three knockout cups, added to four state titles (2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020), are the fruits of the management model supported by three pillars: sale of broadcasting rights, box office together with supporting partner and athlete transfers.
It is based on this tripod that the association managed to end the last year, for example, with a surplus of R$ 136 million. In the elite of Brazilian football, 14 of the 20 teams that competed in the 2020 Nationals ended the season with a deficit.
On the field, even without stars, the squad led by Alberto Valentim has decisive athletes, such as Nikão, 29, at the club since 2015 and who was an important player in all recent achievements.
He was the one who paved the way for victory over Red Bull Bragantino, 28 minutes into the opening stage, when he hit a beautiful volley after a rebound by the goalkeeper in a shot by Terans.
The advantage confirmed the dominance that Valentim’s team had in the game after the first 10 minutes. Until then, there was a certain balance.
Even thin, the score was enough to make Athletico even more comfortable, while the team from São Paulo circled the rival’s area, but with difficulties to take danger to the goal of goalkeeper Santos.
Over time, especially in the final stage, the nervousness of the Bragantino players made the mission of seeking a draw even more difficult, making life easier for the people from Paraná, who tried to set a slower pace, managing the score, until the final whistle .
Hero of victory, Nikão dedicated the achievement to the fans and their families. “I wanted to dedicate it to my children, my wife and my friends and all those who are supporting me, such as my family in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais. And also to dedicate it to António Oliveira, who started this process and is an extraordinary guy. This victory it’s also his,” said the striker.
The Portuguese António Oliveira left the club in September and was replaced by Valentim, who in the Sudamericana led the team only in the final.
While Athletico’s squad cheered, Red Bull Bragantino saw the club’s expectation of winning the first international title in its history frustrated. Something that became part of the team’s horizon, especially from 2019, when it was purchased by the energy company that added its name to that of the association.
Once the ugly duckling of the Austrian conglomerate, which controls four other top-flight professional clubs, Bragança’s team was the first in the group to reach a continental final.
But evolution is undeniable. In addition to runner-up at the Sudamericana, the team is also fighting for the top positions in the Brazilian Championship and for a spot in the 2022 Copa Libertadores.
Athletico, in turn, is already guaranteed in the main tournament on the continent with the title this Saturday. At the Brazilian Nationals, however, the people from Paraná are in a dangerous position, close to the relegation zone with five rounds to go before the end of the competition.
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