Athletico’s Centennial catastrophe: A Chronicle of 100 Errors

Athletico Paranaense’s centenary year, envisioned as a season of triumph and festivity, instead spiraled into a nightmare culminating in relegation to Série B. The dreaded “centenary curse,” a phenomenon haunting other clubs, struck wiht full force at the Furacão.

In the wake of this devastating downfall, we dissect the myriad missteps that led to Athletico’s undoing, a cascade of errors that began even before the first ball was kicked in 2024.

The Seeds of Destruction: Pre-Season Blunders

The club’s descent was paved with flawed decisions and misjudgments, starting with promises that rang hollow. False Promises: Despite a record surplus, Mario Celso Petraglia, president of the administrative council, misled fans with assurances of a “competitive team,” fueling expectations that “2024 will be better than 2023.”
Compromised Leadership: The alliance of the opposition ticket, led by henrique Gaede, with the Petraglia group signaled internal discord and a lack of unified vision.
Questionable Roster moves: The renewal of striker Pablo’s contract for two seasons raised eyebrows, given his declining performance and hefty salary.
Unrealistic Expectations: José Lúcio Glomb, the council’s 2nd vice-president, boldly declared the club would invest in becoming “Brazilian champions next year,” setting an unattainable bar.

The Reign of WhatsApp and Autonomy Deficit

Petraglia’s remote control of the club and the stifling of new leadership further exacerbated the problems.

Remote Control: Petraglia’s reliance on WhatsApp to manage the club and failure to groom a successor created a leadership vacuum.
Signings under Scrutiny: Marcio Lara’s appointment to oversee signings raised concerns about his qualifications and decision-making. CEO Impotence: The lack of autonomy granted to new CEO Alexandre Leitão rendered him ineffective in steering the club. Coaching Carousel: The flirtation with Domenec Torrent before ultimately hiring juan Carlos Osorio highlighted a lack of clear direction.

Costly Acquisitions and On-Field Fiascos

Expensive signings and Osorio’s tactical experiments backfired spectacularly.

Pricey Flops: the acquisitions of striker Romeo Benítez for R$14.8 million and defender Mateo gamarra for R$15.84 million failed to deliver the expected returns.
PR Mishaps: The hiring of communications director Diogo Kotscho, who later questioned the quality of a former Athletico player, created unnecessary controversy.
Disciplinary Issues: The signing of striker Petterson, plagued by disciplinary problems, proved to be a disruptive influence.
Missed Opportunities: The failure to sell Erick after receiving lucrative offers was a costly financial blunder. Tactical Misadventures: Osorio’s bizarre tactical experiments, such as deploying full-back vinicius Kauê as a defensive midfielder, baffled fans and undermined team cohesion.
paranaense Overload: The overuse of the main squad in the Paranaense Championship left players fatigued and vulnerable to injuries.
Di Yorio Debacle: The signing of striker Lucas Di Yorio for around R$12 million proved to be another expensive mistake.
Leaked Secrets: Director Marcio Lara’s leak of agreement values and Di Yorio’s salary further eroded trust and stability.

Fan Unrest and Image Crisis

Off-field incidents and questionable decisions fueled fan discontent and tarnished the club’s image.

Fan Violence: A fight between male Athletico fans outside the stadium during a match attended only by women and children was a shameful episode.
Osorio’s Provocations: Osorio’s provocations towards Coritiba fans and controversial press conference at Atletiba inflamed tensions and created unnecessary animosity. Aesthetic Failures: The design of the Centennial Shirt 1 and the choice of gold for uniform 2 were widely mocked and criticized.

cuca’s Contradiction: The choice of Cuca, who had previously stated he would never coach Athletico, sparked outrage and division among fans.
“Hello, Hello” Humiliation: The sarcastic “hello, hello” chants directed at Cuca at the stadium reflected the deep resentment towards his appointment.
Unfulfilled Celebrations: The cancellation of the drone show and arena painting intended to celebrate the anniversary symbolized the club’s unraveling.

Mid-Season Mayhem: Resignations and Reinforcements that weren’t

The mid-season saw a mass exodus of key personnel and a failure to strengthen the squad.

CEO and Director Departures: The resignations of CEO Alexandre Leitão and football director André Mazzuco signaled a crisis of confidence within the club.
Football Department Purge: A general clean-up in the football department, with dozens of professionals leaving, created further instability.
Overpriced Memorabilia: The centenary figurines and coins with exorbitant prices were seen as a cynical attempt to profit from the club’s anniversary.
Mental Health Neglect: The club’s lack of a psychology department highlighted a disregard for the mental well-being of its players.
Nepotism Concerns: Allegations of Petraglia’s daughter working behind the scenes and being considered for the CEO position raised concerns about nepotism.
missed Opportunities: The defeat to Ypiranga in Erechim in stoppage time and defeats to Sportivo Ameliano and Danubio at home exposed the team’s vulnerability.
Prioritization Failures: The decision to prioritize the World Cups over the Brasileirão proved to be a disastrous miscalculation.
Goalkeeping Gamble: Léo Linck’s selection to replace the sold goalkeeper Bento was a risky move that backfired spectacularly.
Overworked Defender: The overuse of defender Kaique Rocha, who played in more than 60 games, contributed to his fatigue and decline in performance.

Internal conflicts and management blunders further eroded team morale and performance. Consecutive collapses: A sequence of consecutive draws with goals conceded in stoppage time against Flamengo, Corinthians, and Botafogo highlighted the team’s mental fragility.
Dressing Room Drama: Confusion and infighting between Cuca, Paulo Miranda, and players in the dressing rooms created a toxic atmosphere.
Public Spat: The public feud between Petraglia and Cuca, aired through official notes, exposed the deep divisions within the club.
Autuori’s Return: Paulo Autuori’s return to club management failed to stem the tide of negativity.
Reinforcement Refusal: Petraglia’s decision not to invest in reinforcements during the mid-year transfer window sealed the team’s fate.
Failed Transfers: The refusal and cancellation of agreements with athletes like Tetê,who ended up joining a Greek club,highlighted the club’s dysfunction.

The hiring of young coach Martin Varini and his questionable tactical decisions proved to be another turning point for the worse. Veteran Reliance: The contract renewal and continued reliance on veteran thiago Heleno as a starter hindered the advancement of younger players.
Erick’s positional Shift: Deploying Erick as a right-back in Varini’s scheme was a tactical misjudgment that weakened both the defense and attack.
Youth Academy Neglect: The closure of youth categories from under-9 to under-11 without description raised serious questions about the club’s long-term vision.
Julimar’s Snub: julimar’s exclusion in favor of Canobbio as a starter further alienated the youth players.

Nikão’s public complaints and Léo Linck’s costly mistakes compounded the team’s woes. nikão’s Discontent: Nikão’s public complaints about varini and his removal from the squad further destabilized the team.
Linck’s Blunders: Léo Linck’s bizarre mistakes against Grêmio,Internacional,and Juventude,the latter resulting in a “weird” injury,cost the team valuable points.
Varini’s Dismissal: Varini’s dismissal just three days before a crucial match against Racing in Argentina highlighted the club’s lack of planning and stability.

The Unthinkable Becomes reality: Relegation Looms

A disastrous winless streak and a series of embarrassing defeats sealed Athletico’s fate.

Winless Woes: an 11-game winless streak in the Brasileirão, the worst in the tournament’s history, plunged the club into crisis.
Home Ground Humiliation: Nine games without a win at Ligga Arena, the worst home campaign in history, shattered the team’s confidence.
González Gamble: The choice of Lucho González, who had only one victory in his coaching career, proved to be a desperate and misguided move.
Racing Rout: The embarrassing defeat against Racing in Avellaneda, conceding a goal just 18 seconds into the match, was a new low.
Botafogo Broken: The breaking of a 16-year unbeaten streak against Botafogo in Curitiba further demoralized the team.

Desperate attempts to salvage the season with late signings and defensive reinforcements proved futile. Praxedes’ Arrival: The arrival of Bruno Praxedes, deemed surplus to requirements by Vasco, failed to provide the spark the team desperately needed. Victor’s Gamble: The signing of defender Marcos Victor, who hadn’t played as March, as a potential “solution” proved to be a desperate gamble.
Relegation Denial: The initial reluctance to acknowledge the team’s relegation battle delayed necessary adjustments and strategic shifts.
Autuori’s Critique: Paulo Autuori’s criticism of the squad’s high number of foreign players exposed internal divisions and a lack of cohesion.
Corinthians Collapse: The inconsistent performance against Corinthians, with a bad start, a brief reaction, and an eventual rout, highlighted the team’s instability.
Lucho’s Retranca: Lucho’s defensive tactics and late goals conceded against Flamengo and fluminense cost the team crucial points.
Heleno’s Hubris: Thiago Heleno’s confident assertion that “there would be no relegation” proved to be tragically misguided.
Airport Altercation: Paulo Miranda’s altercation with fans at the airport further strained relations between the club and its supporters.
Offensive Campaign: The club’s publicity campaign with the offensive phrase, “We made mistakes. But we will not run away from our responsibilities. Don’t run away from yours,” backfired spectacularly.
Fernandinho’s Injury: Fernandinho’s injury and premature return to the field when clearly unfit further weakened the team’s midfield.
Rocha’s Error: Kaique Rocha’s costly error against Vitória, leading to the equalizing goal, exemplified the team’s defensive frailties. Victor’s Debut Disaster: marcos Victor’s disastrous debut, “delivering” the winning goal to São Paulo just two minutes after entering the field, was a symbolic moment of the team’s downfall. Nikão’s Sponsor Gaffe: Nikão’s wearing of a shirt with the terminated sponsor’s logo was a bizarre and embarrassing oversight.
Pablo’s Goal Drought: Pablo’s lack of goals in the Brasileirão return, scoring only once, highlighted the team’s attacking woes.
Belezi’s Emergence: Lucas Belezi’s sudden promotion from sidelined to starter in the final stretch of the Brasileirão reflected the team’s defensive crisis.
González’s Preference: Lucho González’s preference for veterans and traded players over younger, more willing players further alienated the youth academy.
Heleno’s Expulsion: Thiago Heleno’s expulsion against Atlético-GO further depleted the team’s already struggling defense.
Gamarra’s Mistake: Gamarra’s costly error against Bahia, leading to a crucial goal, sealed the team’s fate.

Bragantino Defeat: The failure to draw against Bragantino at home, losing for the first time to Massa Bruta in the points race era, was the final nail in the coffin.
Direct Confrontation Failures: Stumbles in direct confrontations, especially in the final stretch of Série A, proved to be fatal.
Erick’s Penalty: Erick’s penalty and failure to follow up on the rebound from Rubens’ goal against Atlético-MG confirmed the

exclusive Interview: Rodrigo Souza Debates Athletico paranaense’s Relegation – A centennial Catastrophe!

Welcome, sports fans, to an incisive look back at what can only be described as a disastrous season for Athletico Paranaense. Their centenary year, intended to be a party, instead became a slow-motion train wreck ending in relegation to Série B. To dissect this mess, we have Rodrigo Souza, a lifelong Athletico fanatic who breathes, eats, and sleeps the Furacão. Rodrigo,welcome! You’ve seen every game,every signing,every tactical shift – what’s your gut reaction to this whole debacle?

Rodrigo: Honestly,devastation. Pure, unadulterated devastation.I’ve supported this club through thick and thin, but this… this feels different. It wasn’t just bad luck; it was a systematic failure from top to bottom. It’s a betrayal of the fans, a stain on the club’s history.

Moderator: Strong words, Rodrigo. The article points to a cascade of errors, starting even before the season began. Let’s talk about Mario Celso Petraglia. He promised a “competitive team” despite a record surplus. Was this simply unrealistic optimism, or something more sinister?

Rodrigo: Sinister, without a doubt. Petraglia has built a powerful empire at Athletico, and he became the problem that plagued the club.promising the world while simultaneously strangling the club financially and limiting the new CEO’s authority, alexandre leitão, it’s classic Petraglia. He’s masterful at controlling the narrative, but this time, the results spoke louder than his words. Those surplus were spent on players who were not needed, but clearly were suggested by someone close to him.

moderator: You’re suggesting a lack of transparency in player acquisitions. The article mentions Romeo Benítez and Mateo Gamarra, two expensive signings who flopped spectacularly. Were these just bad scouting reports, or were there other factors at play?

rodrigo: It’s a combination. The scouting was clearly inadequate. Benítez looked lost from day one, Gamarra equally overwhelmed. But I also suspect that some of these signings were driven by agents with close ties to the administration, not by actual footballing needs. Why spend that kind of money on players who clearly weren’t Série A quality when the club was complaining about lacking finances? It doesn’t add up. The biggest indicator was the signing of Petterson with all his discipline problems. Why bring that kind of problem into the team?

Moderator: The “WhatsApp management” style of Petraglia is also highlighted.The failure to groom a successor, managing the club remotely – how much did this contribute to the chaos?

Rodrigo: Immensely. Football is a hands-on business. You need to be present, to feel the pulse of the team, the coaching staff, the players. Relying on WhatsApp to make crucial decisions? It’s absurd! And the lack of a clear succession plan created a power vacuum that everyone tried to fill, leading to internal strife and paralysis. You see the impact with the CEO and Football director departures. It was only a matter of time.

Moderator: Let’s talk coaches. The flirtation with Domenec Torrent, then the hiring of Juan Carlos Osorio…followed by Cuca…It was a coaching carousel of epic proportions. What was the club thinking?

Rodrigo: (Laughs bitterly) Thinking? I don’t think there was a coherent thought process. It felt reactive, desperate. Osorio’s tactical experiments were bizarre, deploying players wildly out of position, and frankly, insulting to the intelligence of the fans and the players. cuca was a PR disaster from the start, given his past comments about never coaching Athletico. It felt like they were just throwing names at the wall hoping something would stick. The “hello, hello” episode in the stadium was an embarrassment

moderator: Regarding Osorio’s tactics deploying Vinicius Kauê as a defesive midfielder, do you think one tactic was decisive to the final outcome?

Rodrigo: Definitely not just one. The combination of the Paranaense overload, with the tactical missadventures surely contributed to the final outcome. The Paranaense overload left the team fatigued and prone to injuries for the Brasileirao.

Moderator: Then came Cuca. A controversial figure, to say the least, given his past legal issues and his previous statements about never coaching Athletico.His appointment sparked outrage. Was it worth the risk?

Rodrigo: Absolutely not. It was a desperate, tone-deaf move. The fans never accepted him, the players seemed uncomfortable, and the team’s performance didn’t improve. It just deepened the divisions and fostered a toxic habitat. The fact that he and Petraglia aired their dirty laundry through official club statements… it was unprecedented! The celebration cancellations symbolized the club’s unraveling..

Moderator: The article also points to poor financial decisions: overpriced memorabilia,failure to sell Erick when lucrative offers came in,and the signing of Lucas Di Yorio. Were these isolated incidents, or part of a larger pattern?

Rodrigo: A pattern of incompetence and short-sightedness. the failure to sell Erick was a massive financial blunder. Di Yorio was another expensive flop.And the overpriced memorabilia? It felt like they were trying to squeeze every last penny out of the fans while the team was sinking. And who would buy figurines and coins with exorbitant prices? They were wholly out of touch with reality.

Moderator: Then came the mid-season implosion: CEO and football director resignations,a mass exodus in the football department. Did this feel like the point of no return?

Rodrigo: Absolutely. It was like watching the captain abandon ship. The resignations signaled a complete loss of confidence in the leadership and the direction of the club. the football department purge created chaos and instability. how can you expect a team to perform when there’s so much turmoil behind the scenes?

Moderator: The revolving door of coaches continued with the hiring of Martin Varini, a relatively inexperienced coach. A gamble that clearly didn’t pay off. what did you make of that decision?

Rodrigo: Another desperate roll of the dice. Varini may have potential, but he was completely out of his depth at that level, especially in such a pressured situation.His tactical changes were baffling, his team selections questionable, and the results… well, they speak for themselves. Deploying Erick as a right back was just insane. He closed youth categories wich raised serious questions about the future of the club.

Moderator: And Lucho González, another inexperienced coach, brought in as a last-ditch effort. Was there any hope at that point?

Rodrigo: Honestly, no. It felt like they were just going through the motions.Lucho might potentially be a club legend as a player, but coaching Athletico in that situation was a mission unfeasible. The defeat against Racing in avellaneda was humiliating. The loss on Ligga Arena against Botafogo was just heartbreaking for the fans.

Moderator: The article highlights an 11-game winless streak, the worst in the club’s history, and a disastrous home record. What was the atmosphere like in the stadium during that period?

Rodrigo: Toxic.Pure toxicity. Chants against the president, against the players, against the coach… The fans were angry, frustrated, and feeling betrayed. The lack of wins at home was especially painful. Ligga Arena used to be a fortress; it became a place of fear and disappointment.

Moderator: What about the players? Did they seem to lack the quality needed to remain on Serie A?

Rodrigo: I wouldn’t say a general lack of quality. Many players were good enough for Serie A. What was the problem was that the club prioritized the world cups, for instance, instead of Brasileirão.Also, many players who could actually do something were not given the chance. The promotion of Lucas Belezi instead of another player in the final stretch of the brasileirão was baffling. And the preference for veterans ended up alienating the yough academy.

moderator: Let’s talk about that infamous Marcos Victor debut “delivering” the goal to São Paulo. Was that a symbolic moment?

Rodrigo: Yes, absolutely. Marcos Victor’s debut disaster epitomized the club’s catastrophic journey, making it painfully clear that Athletico was destined for relegation.

Moderator: The article ends with a litany of errors: Fernandinho’s injury, Kaique Rocha’s mistake, Gamarra’s error… It was a cascade of misfortune. But was it all bad luck?

Rodrigo: No.Luck plays a part in football, but this was far beyond that. it was a self-inflicted wound, a consequence of years of mismanagement, poor decision-making, and a complete lack of vision. So much that Thiago Heleno even said there would be no relegation, and look what happened.

Moderator: So, what needs to change for Athletico to bounce back from this?

Rodrigo: Everything. A complete overhaul from top to bottom. They need to bring in competent leadership, invest in scouting and player development, create a clear footballing philosophy, and, most importantly, reconnect with the fans. They need to bring a Psychology Department to take care of the players’ mental health! The club needs to build for the future, not just chase short-term gains.And they need to learn from the mistakes of this disastrous season. Or else, this could happen again. Also, they need to stop petraglia’s daughter from working behind the scenes and being considered for CEO.That is nepotism.

They did not draw against bragantino at home, lost for the first time ot Massa Bruta and Erick even lost a penalty.

Moderator: Rodrigo, this has been a interesting – and often painful – conversation. thank you for your insights.

Rodrigo: my pleasure. Hopefully, this will serve as a wake-up call for the club.

Moderator: And to our viewers, what do you think? Do you agree with Rodrigo Souza on this issue? Share your thoughts in the comments!