Vitória host Athletico Paranaense at the Barradão on 24 October 2026 in a Série A Round 32 game with very different things at stake. Athletico sit third with 53 points from 31 matches and need a win to stay in the Libertadores picture, whereas Vitória are 13th on 37 points and far more concerned with maintaining a cushion above the drop zone. The Barradão has been a tough place for visiting sides this season, which may be enough to make this awkward for Athletico even if the quality gap is real. There is also lingering bad blood from the two Copa do Brasil meetings earlier this year, which tends to make both sets of players a little less rational when the ball goes into certain areas of the pitch.
Jair Ventura has been in the Vitória dugout since September 2025, with Odair Hellmann at Athletico since May of the same year. Their Copa do Brasil encounters were fractious, particularly after Vitória's 4-0 win at the Barradão in August 2026, which reportedly produced some pointed words between the two benches and Ventura will look to recreate that hostile home atmosphere and disrupt whatever rhythm Hellmann's side try to build from the opening minutes.
Vitória come into this on the back of a D L W L D run across their last five, including a 1-1 draw with Corinthians on 20 October, a 2-1 win over São Paulo on 11 October and a 4-0 thrashing of Chapecoense on 8 October, with the inconsistency being the obvious theme: a win over São Paulo followed by a defeat, a draw before that. Athletico arrive in slightly better shape with L W D W D, though they did lose 2-0 at Palmeiras on 17 October, their 4-1 win over Chapecoense on 12 October and 2-2 draw with Atlético-MG on 9 October show a side that can score goals even in matches they don't fully control.
Vitória are without Kauan, Edu and Camutanga, all unavailable through injury or transition. Losing all three from a squad built around a low block and compact mid-press is a real problem, Ventura needs to reorganise a back line that now has less physical presence than he'd want against a team like Athletico. Hellmann, by contrast, has a full squad to choose from, which gives him room to press high, rotate if needed and keep his 3-4-2-1 shape intact throughout.
Vitória set up in a 4-1-4-1 built around a low block with Arcanjo behind a narrow shape, relying on compact pressing to funnel opponents wide before launching quick transitions. Renê's nine or ten goals this season make him Vitória's most direct route to goal, Erick provides the midfield legs, and Matheuzinho's movement into pockets between the lines is the main link between them. Lucas Arcanjo's save count is high for a reason: this is a team that concedes chances and relies on its goalkeeper. The back line loses exactly the sort of aerial presence you want against a team that builds patiently from its back three and that was already before the absences of Kauan, Edu and Camutanga.
Athletico's 3-4-2-1 is the more methodical system, with Luiz Gustavo sitting at the base of midfield and slowing play to dictate the rhythm before releasing Kevin Viveros (their top scorer with around 21 goals) or Leozinho. If Erick can't get near Luiz Gustavo, Athletico will dominate the middle of the pitch for long stretches. Hellmann can press aggressively without worrying about workload management, given he has no injury concerns. The central duel between Renê and Athletico's back three will probably define whether Vitória have any attacking moments worth talking about.
Vitória's 4-0 Copa do Brasil win at the Barradão in August 2026 was their best of the year against Athletico, though they lost the return leg 2-0 and Athletico had already won 3-1 at the Série A meeting in April. Athletico have taken seven goals from three meetings this year to Vitória's four, with the only Barradão exception being that Copa do Brasil night in August.
Vitória's absences make them particularly vulnerable to aerial deliveries if Athletico target the gaps in their defensive shape. Vitória will use corners and throw-ins to build pressure and launch counters but without their aerial cover at the back it becomes a lopsided exchange and the Copa do Brasil history will probably boil over at some point in midfield.
Athletico Paranaense to win 2-1. Luiz Gustavo's presence in midfield, Vitória's reshuffled back line and the freedom Hellmann has with a full squad should be enough to see them through even at a difficult venue. Renê will probably get his goal, he tends to find a way at the Barradão regardless of who Vitória are facing. But Viveros' movement off the shoulder and Leozinho pulling wide are exactly the problems a back line missing Kauan, Edu and Camutanga will struggle to coordinate against and with Libertadores qualification still not secure, Athletico will not settle for a point here.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
