Bruno Guimarães at Coritiba? Former director tells behind the scenes of the attempt to ‘break’ Athletico

Bruno Guimarães and the businessman were coming to Curitiba to formalize the loan agreement with Athletico. The manager was on the same flight and sought information to see if he had a chance of getting through the deal. However, Coxa, which is today a Football Corporation (SAF), was experiencing a complicated financial reality.

In an interview with OneTwo SportsAlex Brasil states that it was just an informal conversation with Malavolta and assesses years later that the story might not have been the same if Bruno Guimarães had gone to Coritiba. “I had some amounts to pay, but Coritiba didn’t have any at the time. It was a very unpretentious thing, due to the relationship I have with Alexis Malavolta. Bruno wasn’t even known at the time. But It’s a good thing he went to Athletico and became Bruno who is helping us today for the national team. It was a chance meeting on the plane”, he comments.

“I wanted to understand the operation. I don’t even remember the values ​​at the time, but Coritiba wouldn’t make an investment in a player who wasn’t known. It was a random thing, they were on the plane and I got on. Alexis is a friend of mine for many years. I saw Bruno playing for Audax, but I had never sat down with him. Then, Bruno goes to Athletico and becomes Bruno. Maybe if he had gone to Coritiba, he wouldn’t have become Bruno Guimarães”highlights Brasil, who is now manager of Santa Cruz.

In Bruno Guimarães’ version, Coritiba’s proposal would be bigger than Athletico’s. However, the midfielder celebrates not having changed his decision. “Alexis arrived and told me: ‘He wants to take you to Coritiba anyway’. He said he would double the offer that Athletico made to Audax. We only have to stay here for two more days and you’ll go to Coritiba. I said: ‘No, that’s it, everything is fine. I’ve already told my mother, my father, what am I going to say? I want to go to Athletico’. Thank God I went to Athletico”, he says, in an interview with Podcast Talk.

Athletico earned more than R$140 million with Bruno Guimarães

Athletico signed Bruno Guimarães on a free loan for one year. In February 2018, it purchased 70% of the economic rights for R$800,000. President Mario Celso Petraglia had to go to Osasco to convince the president of Audax, Mario Teixeira, to accept the proposal.

Wearing the Rubro-Negro shirt, Bruno Guimarães played 109 matches, scored ten goals and won four titles (Campeonato Paranaense and Sul-Americana, in 2018, Levain Cup and Copa do Brasil, in 2019).

The midfielder was sold to Lyon, from France, for 20 million euros (around R$93 million at the time). Afterwards, Furacão still profited another 8.42 million euros (R$50.17 million) with the player’s move to Newcastle, England, in 2022.

Bruno Guimarães shines at the World Cup

Considered Brazil’s second main player to date, behind only Vinicius Júnior, Bruno Guimarães reached four assists in this World Cup and equaled Gerson, who achieved the feat during the third campaign, and Zico, who made three passes for goals in 1982. The former Athletico midfielder is only behind Pelé, who also distributed six passes in 1970.

Furthermore, Bruno Guimarães is the second main waiter at the World Cup and is only behind the Frenchman Olise, with five. According to FIFA, the Brazilian team’s midfielder completed 394 passes in the four games, a 96% success rate. In the group stage, he was responsible for assists for Vinicius Júnior against Morocco and Scotland and for Matheus Cunha against the Scots.