Sergio Cirio finds an unlikely home with Adelaide United

If you had told Sergio Cirio two years ago that he would end up playing football in South Australia he would not have believed it.

Yet the 28-year-old, who once shared a taxi with Cesc Fàbregas during his formative days in Barcelona’s youth academy, is now enjoying some of his best football at Adelaide United under fellow Catalan Josep Gombau.

Last year, aged 27, Sergio Cirio had spent most of his career in Spain’s lower divisions.

The brutal truth is, for every talented kid that makes it with Barcelona, there are thousands that fall by the wayside, never quite realising the success of which they once dreamed.

Success, however, can be measured in many ways and in a recent interview, Cirio claims to have found what “every footballer wants”.

Having spent no more than a season with various Spanish clubs and a brief spell in Greece, the Catalan forward seemed to have finally found stability with Segunda B side Hospitalet, just minutes from his childhood home.

Yet when Josep Gombau, who also learnt his trade in Barcelona, insisted on Cirio joining him in Australia’s A-League, the forward did not hesitate.

“I thought it was a great opportunity for me. A new adventure.”

Gombau’s Tiki-Taka Revolution
The A-League’s Adelaide United signed Josep Gombau as its new manager ahead of the 2013/2014 season in a bold move to bring a new brand of football to Australian shores. A fiery young manager, driven by his passion and unwavering dedication to his football philosophy, Gombau did not simply promise change but a revolution.

Having spent six years with FC Barcelona under the management of Frank Rijkaard and and Josep Guardiola, mainly working as a youth coach and briefly serving as the Technical Director of FCB Escola, Gombau went to Australia with a devotion to the Barça brand of football.

“We play with passing combinations. A lot of possession… the “rondo”. Yes, the boss uses Barcelona’s style,” Cirio explains.

However, transferring the Barça philosophy has not been easy in a league Cirio describes as “more British in style”.

Adelaide went their first nine game with just a single victory and Gombau endured heavy criticism. However, in an interview with The Australian, Adelaide’s new “mister” explained his club never lost faith in the project

“It was hard in the beginning. I change things a lot. We need time… [The players] believe in the project… and [the board] understand. I say thanks to them.”

Faith has been rewarded. Gombau’s Adelaide have now climbed to third on the A-League ladder, losing just two of their last 12 games and scoring 26 goals in the process. Now the most exciting team in the competition, Adelaide could go all the way to the championship.

The Flying Forward
At the head of Adelaide’s bold project is Sergio Cirio, who along with ex-Espanyol graduate Isaías Sànchez, followed Gombau to South Australia.

A fleet-footed direct runner with a sharp touch, Cirio plays best as an inside-forward and is not dissimilar to Barcelona’s Pedro. His industry and inventiveness in the final third has also won over Australian fans.

“I have what every footballer wants. The fans are extraordinary.”

With seven goals and two assists in 17 appearances, including his first hat-trick last week against Melbourne Victory, Sergio Cirio has found an unlikely home down under.