Football Season Guide

Serie A
Brazil
Serie A
2017
Athletico Paranaense
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Athletico Paranaense

In


Felipe Gedoz (Att, Club Brugge), Jonathan (Def, Fluminense), Grafite (Att, Santa Cruz), Paulo Andre (Def, Cruzeiro), Luis Henrique (Att, Botafogo), Thiago Heleno (Def, Maldonado), Bruno Furlan (Att, America-MG, end of loan), Carlos Alberto (Mid, free agent), Eduardo (Att, free agent), Zezinho (Mid, Ceara SC, end of loan), Douglas Coutinho (Att, Braga, end of loan), Bruno Furlan (Att, America-MG, end of loan)

Out


Hernani (Mid, Zenit S-Pb), Marcos Guilherme (Att, Dinamo Zagreb, on loan), Juninho (Mid, America-MG), Rafael Zuchi (Def, Tigres), Andre Lima (Att, EC Vitoria), Pedro Botelho (Def, Boavista Sport Club RJ, on loan), Vinicius (Mid, Avai FC, on loan), Tiago Adan (Att, Oeste, on loan), Dellatorre (Att, Suphanburi FC, on loan), Leo Pereira (Def, Orlando B, on loan), Bady (Mid, Genclerbirligi), Rodolfo (GK, Oeste, on loan), Edigar Junio (Att, EC Bahia), Lucas Fernandes (Att, Fluminense, end of loan), Paulinho Dias (Mid, released), Mosquito (Att, Maldonado, end of loan), Paulo Andre (Def, Cruzeiro, end of loan), Luan (Att, Palmeiras, end of loan), Bruno Pereirinha (Def, released)

With the experienced Paulo Autuori at the helm, Atletico Paranaense were one of the positive surprises of last season, finishing in sixth place and earning qualification for the Copa Libertadores preliminary rounds. Again, a top six finish would book a ticket to the continental competition and it would not be a surprise if they manage to achieve it, having kept Autuori and many of the promising youngsters who burst onto the scene last season, at the same time as adding more experienced players such as Carlos Alberto and Grafite and signing some of last season’s loanees on permanent deals. Overall, then, Atlético Paranaense should be even stronger than they were last season and they warmed up for the Brazilian Serie A campaign by reaching the final of the Paranaense State Championship, at which stage they lost to Coritiba. They have also done well in the Copa Libertadores, but that could be a disadvantage for them in the league as they do not boast the same strength in depth of other clubs and it could cost them to compete on two fronts. One thing the team really had going for it last year was their home form and they benefited from the artificial grass of the Arena da Baixada, finishing the season as the best home team. That should give them an edge at home once again, but they will need to improve their lacklustre away form if they’re to really push on.

Target


The target for Atlético Paranaense will be to prove that last season was not a fluke and that they should now be considered a top team. As such, they’ll be aiming for another top six finish, although playing in the Copa Libertadores may hamper their domestic form.