RB Bragantino: How Red Bull improved their squad for 2022 – data analysis

As the 2022 season begins, Red Bull Bragantino aim to continue increasing their reputation. In 2019, Red Bull purchased CA Bragantino to become Red Bull Bragantino. Three seasons later, the club has not only established themselves in Brazil’s first division, but they have also qualified for the glorious Copa Libertadores.

In Brazil, Red Bull has implemented a similar business model to their other clubs; buy young players to develop and sell for a profit. The club enters the 2022 Brasileiro with the youngest average age at 22.4. As they look to make that next step into Brazil’s upper echelon, the board has seriously improved the team’s quality. First, they made sure to permanently secure Natan, Helinho, and Eric Ramires, who were regular squad players last season on loan. As they are not ‘new’ players, we will not be covering them in this analysis. In addition, though, they have brought in six new players – three on loan and three permanently.

Red Bull Bragantino’s transfer business accurately reflects their current position in the hierarchy of Brazilian football. For instance, young prospects who are not quite ready to break into the first team are loaned out to teams in the lower divisions. More significantly, though, the club has consistently brought in high potential youth academy players from Brazil’s biggest clubs – Flamengo, Palmeiras, São Paulo. As they are not regularly appearing in the first team, these clubs are more likely to release these players on loan. As they have done with Natan and Helinho, Bragantino will often consider permanently signing these players after a season or two.

In this analysis, we will individually examine the characteristics and playing styles of all six players through data analysis. Furthermore, we will consider Red Bull Bragantino’s tactics, and how each player fits into their system.

Red Bull Bragantinos tactics

Brazil is notorious for its treatment of managers. Often due to the board’s impatience or intense pressure from the fans, managers are commonly sacked within months. Red Bull Bragantino, on the other hand, have been able to maintain 40-year-old manager Maurício Barbieri for one year and seven months. Barbieri is the longest standing manager out of Brazil’s top three divisions. The young and modern manager has been able to successfully implement the traditional Red Bull identity into Bragantino’s tactics. At Bragantino, these tactics consist of direct football and an intense high press. As they have the youngest squad in the league, they are able to consistently maintain this type of relentless and intensive football.

In 2022, Barbieri has maintained the same structure from the 2021 season. Bragantino’s most common formation is a 4-4-2, but a very similar 4-2-3-1 is occasionally used. In 2021, they averaged the most long passes per 90, at 43.83. Their long pass percentage sits around 12%, with around 3.74 average passes per possession. This highlights their vertical approach to construction. While they often look to press high, their PPDA is around 9.71. Against teams at a higher level, such as Flamengo and Palmeiras, their PPDA is much lower. Against teams at a lower level, their PPDA is significantly higher. This dynamic approach sees their average PPDA in the middle.

In their 4-4-2, players have specific roles that define this structure. Width is maximised by the fullbacks and wingers. They aim to create overloads in the wide channel as the fullbacks join the attack. Centre-backs must be ball-playing defenders with the ability to play long and progressive passes. One of the midfielders sits deeper as a deep-lying playmaker whereas the other creates further up the pitch. One of the strikers is a more work-horse type of striker, constantly making runs in behind and initiating the press. The other is more of a false nine, taking on a more creative role. Taking into account the general roles for each position, we can now examine Red Bull Bragantino’s new signings.

José Hurtado, 20-years-old, right back, Independiente del Valle

Red Bull Bragantino’s 2022 transfer business begins in Ecuador. Finding talented youngsters in the less traditional South American countries will often come at a lower price, and Bragantino takes advantage of that. In January, Red Bull signed 20-year-old right-back, José Hurtado, from Independiente del Valle for £2.79M. In 2021, the young Ecuadorian was one of the best fullbacks in Ecuador’s Liga Pro despite being his first full season at the senior level.