The club prepared a farewell ceremony for him, despite the fact that he still has to fight for the League title
The azulgrana will hang up his shoes after the play-offs at the age of 36 after his fifth season at Barça
This Saturday’s match at the Palau in which Barça has won a hard-fought ticket to the semi-finals in extra time at the expense of a great ElPozo Murcia It has been very special for Leandro Esquerdinha.
The 36-year-old Barça pivot announced weeks ago that he would hang up his shoes at the conclusion of this season and for this reason the club had prepared a tribute for him at the conclusion of the match that has been as emotional as it is festive after eliminating Diego Giustozzi’s men.
Accompanied by his wife Mayana and his two sons Murilo and Túllo (the eldest is his living portrait)the talented Barcelona player with deep religious convictions received a plaque from the manager in charge of the section, Aureli Mas, watched a beautiful video with his best moments at the club and received the affection of his teammates and all the fans.
The Russian international experienced difficult moments when ElPozo came from behind and forced extra time. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think a couple of times that I might be playing my last game. when they came back and got 2-4“, commented remembering the sad and hasty goodbye of the legendary Aitor Egurrola in roller hockey after the unexpected elimination against Reus Deportiu.
Esquerdinha receives a souvenir from the director Aureli Mas
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“From my time at Barça I keep several images. The first, today. She knew there was something prepared, but he didn’t expect it to be so big. When I saw my family appear, I was moved, because they are the ones who are always in bad times. Later, with my first day at Barça and, of course, with the two Champions Leagues”, explained the Brazilian by birth at the conclusion of the match.
Esquerdinha arrived at Barça in the summer of 2017 in a signing in which the former Barça second coach Miguel Andrés had a lot to do with, with whom he had coincided in a successful mutual stage in the Russian Dina Moscow.
Trained in the subsidiary of ElPozo, the pivot was measured to his current team on loan precisely under the command of Jesús Velasco with Caja Segovia in the League final in a team that also included Sergio Lozano. He later he went to Moscow and now he disputes his fifth campaign as a blaugrana.
Esquerdinha and his family, with the team and the Dracs in the background
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“Since I was injured in early April I was always clear that I could not retire in the stands and I have worked hard to be able to help the team in the play-offs. We all want to win the League and I even more for saying goodbye with great joy”, explained ‘Esquerda’.
about your future, assures that the first thing will be “to go to Brazil for a while so that my parents can enjoy their grandchildrenThey have seen very little of them. In addition, I have been out of my country for almost 20 years and I also want to be there. Later, we will see where life takes me “; added the scorer, who did not reveal if he will continue to be linked to futsal.
For his part, the technical Jesus Velasco stressed that he maintains “a great relationship with Esquerdinha since we met in Segovia 12 years ago. He has had an extraordinary career. It’s a shame that this season he has had several injuries and that now he is not keeping up with his teammates after recovering, but he is helping us and he will continue to do so.