JÁTÉKOSOK

Profil

"He could easily become the next playmaker for Argentina." Empoli assistant coach in 2015-16 Giovanni Martusciello, who was promoted to the top job at the Tuscan club in summer 2016, was a huge fan of the sublimely talented Leandro Paredes. 

Born in 1994, he grew up playing as an attacking midfielder for Boca Juniors in Argentina, inspired by Juan Roman Riquelme, but became a deep-lying playmaker in Italy. The evolution first happened under the management of Marco Giampaolo at Empoli, who saw attributes befitting of a playmaker in Paredes.

"He reminds me of Pizarro" was Luciano Spalletti's response to the Argentine's ability to get hold of the ball and offload it to his team-mates, knitting together the team's moves. 

However, it's not Paredes' first season at Roma: his debut for the Giallorossi came back in 2014 with Rudi Garcia at the helm. He even scored his first Serie A goal for the club against Cagliari a few months later. 

However, that was a different Paredes. Back then he wore No.32 and his best position hadn't yet been established. Now he's the man who orchestrates the way his team plays, with No.5 on his back like the flying midfielders from Argentina and Brazil.

Statisztika