Cuca appointed as new coach of Athletico, bringing radical change in playing style

The 60-year-old Curitiba-born Alexi Stival, known as Cuca, is the new coach of Athletico Paranaense. The club has not officially confirmed the hiring yet, but the professional and the board have reached an agreement. The announcement is expected to be made this Monday (April 4).

Cuca steps in to replace Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio, who was dismissed last Sunday (April 3).

The Brazilian was the only one sought after by Furacão. He has been the preferred choice of president Mario Celso Petraglia since December 2023.

There is still no definitive date for when Cuca will take over the team. The next match is on Sunday against Londrina in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paranaense. If the new coach arrives in time, he may debut in this match. Otherwise, interim coaches Wesley Carvalho and Jucan Antonello will lead the team.

Playing Style:

Athletico’s playing style is set to undergo a radical change. Osorio had been using defensive marking systems, ball exit strategies, and attacking methods resembling those used in European football, with closer zonal marking (the defensive player uses the area as reference rather than the opponent). With the ball, the team aimed to always build options for short passing combinations and simultaneous alternatives for penetration behind the opponent’s last line (forwards making runs to receive long balls).

With Cuca, Athletico will play in a very Brazilian way, with marking, ball exit strategies, and building techniques commonly used in the country for over ten years. The Curitiba-born coach is known for heavily relying on man-to-man marking – a rarity in world football this millennium.

History:

Born in Curitiba, Cuca played in the city’s amateur football, including for Iguaçu in the neighborhood of Santa Felicidade, where his family has strong roots. A skilled midfielder with quick thinking, he began his professional career in 1984 at Santa Cruz (RS). He shined at Grêmio from 1987 to 1992, earning a spot in the Brazilian national team. Cuca also played for Juventude, Valladolid-ESP, Palmeiras, Santos, Portuguesa, Remo, and Chapecoense.

Coaching Career:

Cuca started his coaching career in 1998 at Uberlândia and went on to manage several clubs in Brazil. He gained positive recognition in 2003 when he led Paraná Clube. That same year, he had a successful stint at Goiás and was then hired by São Paulo in 2004. From then on, he became sought after in the football market and coached Grêmio, Flamengo, Coritiba, São Caetano, Botafogo, Santos, Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Atlético-MG, Shandong Luneng (China), and Corinthians.

His major titles include the 2013 Libertadores (Atlético-MG), two Brasileirão championships (Palmeiras 2016 and Atlético-MG 2021), and a Copa do Brasil (Atlético-MG 2021).

His most successful season was in 2021 at Atlético-MG, winning the Mineiro, Brasileirão, and Copa do Brasil titles (defeating Athletico Paranaense in the final).

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