Club

• Full name: Club Athletico Paranaense (commonly Athletico-PR)
• Founded: 1924 (based in Curitiba, Paraná)
• Nickname: "Furacão" (The Hurricane)
• Colors / Badge: Red and black
• Home stadium: Estádio Joaquim Américo (Arena da Baixada)

Recent honours (just prior to 2020/21)

• Copa Sudamericana winners: 2018
• Copa do Brasil winners: 2019

Context around the 2020/21 season

• Athletico entered 2020/21 in a rebuilding phase after selling some of its standout young players in the preceding transfer windows. The club emphasized a mix of experienced professionals and promoting youth from its academy.
• Competitions during this period included the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, domestic cup competitions and participation in continental tournaments depending on qualification from the prior seasons.

Paulo Autuori — role and profile

• Position at club: Appointed to a senior coaching/technical role around late 2020 into 2021 (Autuori is an experienced manager/director brought in to stabilize and guide the team during the transition).
• Background: Autuori is a veteran Brazilian coach and football director with substantial domestic and international experience working at clubs and national associations; he is known for tactical organization, youth integration and project-oriented appointments.
• Objective with Athletico: Consolidate squad after key departures, install a competitive tactical approach, and prepare the team to fight for respectable league positions and cup runs while developing young talent.

Squad & sporting notes (around 2020/21)

• The squad blended experienced defenders and midfielders with younger attacking prospects; the club's academy continued to supply first-team candidates.
• Key outgoing transfers in the months before/around 2020 included notable sales of high-value youngsters, which shaped the club’s transfer and tactical planning for 2020/21.
• Astute recruitment and internal development were central to the club’s strategy rather than heavy spending.

Playing style & identity

• Athletico under project-oriented managers typically emphasize organized defense, quick transitions and use of wing play — combining pragmatic structure with opportunities for young, dynamic attackers.
• Autuori’s influence tends to bring emphasis on tactical discipline, set-piece organization and attention to physical preparation.

Summary

Around the 2020/21 period Athletico Paranaense was in a transitional phase: recent continental and domestic cup successes (2018–2019) had been followed by important player sales and a need to rebuild for sustained competitiveness. Paulo Autuori was brought in as an experienced figure to steady the project, integrate youth, and keep the club competitive in Brazil’s top flight and cup competitions.