cast, highlights, table, where to watch

O Athletico seeks its first São Paulo Junior Football Cup title. The debut takes place this Tuesday (2), at 7:15 pm, against Sparta-GO. The duel takes place at the Sílvio Salles Stadium, in Catanduva, in the interior of São Paulo.

Nationally known for having a youth category that reveals important athletes, Furacão tries to crown its “fame” with an unprecedented cup. In addition, Athletico also wants to polish some names with an eye on their use in the Paranaense Championship.

In 2024, Rubro-Negro will participate in the Copinha for the 28th time. The best campaign in history was the runner-up in 2009. In the last edition, the club was eliminated by Floresta-CE on penalties, still in the round of 16. Defender Arthur Zanella and full-backs Léo Derik and Léo Ataíde, for example, were in that match and will play this year.

First phase table and where to watch Athletico:

O Athletico is in Group 2, based in Catanduva, and will play against Catanduva-SP, Poruguesa-RJ and Sparta-TO. The games will be at the Sílvio Salles Stadium. See the table and broadcasts of Furacão in the first phase:

2/1, at 7:15 pm – Athletico x Sparta-TO: SporTV
5/1, at 7:15 pm – Portuguesa-RJ x Athletico: SporTV
8/1, at 4:30 pm – Catanduva x Athletico: YouTube Paulistão.

+ Check out the complete Copinha table

Coach and probable Athletico team in the Copinha:

Athletico will be coached Caco Espinoza, 43 years. The coach arrived at the club in 2023, has experience at Corinthians and Flamengo-SP, in addition to having commanded teams of lesser national importance such as Rio Brando-ES, Tricordiano and Palmas.

“The year that Athletico had in the under-17s was sensational and this meant that we had many younger athletes in this under-20 group, there are five or six players from 2006, like Sorriso and João Cruz. The fact that they are younger players, there’s no problem, because they’re very quality players. We’re going to go all out in this Copa São Paulo and we want to deliver our best”, said Espinoza.

The big casualty on the list is striker Emersonn, who suffered a muscle injury to his thigh. A likely base team will have: Filipe, Ataíde, Marcão, Zanella and Léo Derik; Biro, João Vitor, João Cruz and Dudu; Smile and Chiqueti.

Keep an eye:

In addition to Dudu and Felipe Chiqueti, who are already better known to Athletico fans and who joined the professional squad in 2023, the young Smile Just 17 years old, he is a name to keep an eye on in this Copinha.

Top scorer in the under-17 squad, the striker scored 18 goals in 24 games last season, leading the team to the Paranaense title and the final stages of the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil in the category. In June last year, he was called up to the Brazilian national team for friendlies against Mexico.

Athletico’s complete squad – 22 players listed for the Copinha:

Goalkeepers: Filipe and Matheus Soares;
Defenders: Arthur Zanella, Eduardo Silvino, Fabio, Dourado and Marcão;
Sides: João Gomes, Léo Derik and Léo Ataíde;
Midfields: Biro, Dudu, Murilo, Lima, Guilherme Back, João Cruz, João Vitor and Lucca Prior
Attackers: Felipe Chiqueti, Sorriso, Keven and Wallace.