Athletico-PR v Santos: early top-half push meets survival concerns | OneFootball

Athletico Paranaense face Santos in the Brasileirão on Thursday, 12 February 2026 at Estádio Mário Celso Petraglia in Curitiba, with the hosts aiming to build on a winning start and the visitors seeking to climb away from the early relegation places.

Head-to-head trends favour Santos overall, but Athletico Paranaense won the most recent league meeting 3-0 at home in December 2023, underlining the advantage in Curitiba.

Athletico-PR arrive on a four-match winning run across competitions, including a 1-0 league opener at Internacional and a 5-0 Paranaense victory over Foz Iguaçu. Alvinegro Praiano have mixed form, drawing with São Paulo after a 4-2 defeat at Chapecoense, then edging Noroeste 2-1 in the Paulista.

Furacão list Alejandro García, Felipinho and Renan Peixoto as injured. Peixe are without Neymar, Willian Arão, Zé Rafael, Adonis Frias and João Basso, trimming options in defence and midfield.

Athletico-PR's clean sheet on matchday one and recent scoring burst suggest a platform to push on at home. Alvinegro Praiano have scored in both league games and could threaten in transition, but their back line has conceded five so far and may be tested by sustained pressure in Curitiba.

A home win would move the hosts to six points from two league games and keep Furacão in the continental places. Victory for Peixe would take them to four points and may lift them out of the relegation zone, easing early season pressure.