Josep Gombau has lured two Spanish players to Adelaide United in Isaías Sánchez and Sergio Cirio, better known simply as Isaías and Cirio. Gombau and assistant Pau Marti had promised to bring two Spaniards with them and they have delivered two players under 30. Both Isaías and Cirio were in the Barcelona youth system and are well known to Gombau, though neither ever played with the first team or reserves.
Adelaide United sign Spanish duo: Isaías and Cirio
The two players with Barcelona youth backgrounds come to the Reds to implement new manager Josep Gombau’s Catalan style.
Cirio is a 28-year-old from Catalonia who can play on the wing or as a striker. The 5’4” attacker comes to Adelaide after three seasons and 37 goals, including 22 last season, at Spanish third division side CE L’Hospitalet. Cirio has played for two other third division clubs in Spain as well as a season in the Greek Superleague witih Atromitos in 2007/08.
Isaías, who turned 26 in February, is a central midfielder from Catalonia. After four seasons in the third division, Isaías signed with Espanyol in 2010. After a season with the B team, the midfielder made four appearances in La Liga between 2011-13. Over his final two years at Espanyol, he played 55 times on loan for second division SD Ponferradina, including against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.
Right now, Isaías is the better prospect but a high-scoring winger like Cirio could be very useful for Adelaide, as well. Reds director of football Michael Petrillo described the new players in a club press release:
”It’s fantastic to be able to attract a player who has just turned twenty-six years of age and has had experience in La Liga as Sánchez has. He is a central midfielder who[m] Josep knows well and will bring strength, aggression and an abundance of class and skill to the team with his best years still ahead of him.
”Sergio is one of those players who can play in a variety of positions. Essentially we’ve recruited him as a left winger but as you can see with 22 goals to his credit, he is a goal scorer as well as a player who can penetrate lines out wide or inside.
“It was important that Josep had the ability to bring in players familiar with his philosophy and who can assist in integrating that philosophy on the field.”
Both players are currently in Europe with Isaías set to join the club first, later this month. Cirio will not arrive in Adelaide until August.
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