Captain's knocks, new faces and match-winning braces: The A-League players who were the difference in Round 19
Round 19 was an interesting weekend of football with no draws, 19 goals in six matches, two five-goal games on Sunday and for the…
Brisbane Roar has moved quickly to fill the visa spot set to be vacated by Brazilian stalwart Henrique with a second Spaniard on the way to bolster their A-League squad.
Fresh off the impressive recruitment of former La Liga veteran Corona last week, the Roar has signed Spanish midfielder Javier Hervas, who has been a free agent since he was released by La Liga club Sevilla in July.
The 26-year-old made only nine appearances for Sevilla, spending most of his time with the club on loan, most recently at third-tier Sabadell.
Hervas is scheduled to land in Brisbane on Wednesday morning and will undergo a medical later in the day.
Having been out of contract for so long he is a long way from match fit, and it will be weeks before he makes an impact on the first team.
But the Spaniard adds further depth to the Roar’s midfield stocks, which needed replenishment following the losses of Luke Brattan and Adam Sarota.
Hervas rounds off Brisbane’s impressive foreign contingent for the season, which also features midfielder Corona, Costa Rican striker Jean Carlos Solorzano and German pair Jerome Polenz and Thomas Broich.
Sao Paolo-born winger Henrique, 30, will receive his Australian citizenship on Wednesday, allowing coach John Aloisi the opportunity to further strengthen his squad with another import.
Currently sidelined until at least late November as he recovers from knee surgery, Henrique has played the last six seasons with the Roar, making 118 appearances and scoring 31 goals in all competitions.
Otherwise known as ‘The Slippery Fish’, Henrique has been at the centre of several iconic moments in the short history of the Brisbane club – he scored a goal in extra time and the winning penalty in the 2010-11 A-League grand final against Central Coast, and then provided the winning goal in extra time of the 2013-14 decider against Western Sydney.
“It’s great for him and great for the club as well,” Aloisi said.
“Ricky’s been here for a long period now and it’s great for everyone involved in Brisbane Roar.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Round 19 was an interesting weekend of football with no draws, 19 goals in six matches, two five-goal games on Sunday and for the…
One of the biggest games on the Australian sporting calendar took place in front of a huge crowd on Saturday night – and it…
Round 17 was full of interesting contests and plenty of controversy. The highlight of the weekend was a five-goal thriller between the Perth Glory…
After another disastrous weekend of tipping from both the panel and the fans, Round 17 of the A-League looms as just as tricky. Western…
Round 16 was action-packed with plenty of intriguing battles. The weekend started and finished with two six-goal thrillers. It was absolute chaos, with two…
Round 15 was a weekend full of excitement and great football to watch; there’s nothing wrong with the A-League! There were 25 goals in…