Adriano Correia

Adriano

Personal information
Full name	Adriano Correia Claro
Date of birth	(1984-10-26) 26 October 1984 (age 27)
Place of birth	Curitiba, Brazil
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position	Full back / Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Barcelona
Number	21
Youth career
	Coritiba
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2004	Coritiba	81	(2)
2005–2010	Sevilla	157	(11)
2010–	Barcelona	41	(1)
National team‡
2003	Brazil U20
2003–	Brazil	13	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 June 2011

Adriano Correia Claro (born 26 October 1984), simply Adriano, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for FC Barcelona in La Liga.

One of few players in professional football who is genuinely ambidextrous, he is capable of playing as a defender or midfielder, on both sides of the pitch.^[1]

Club career

Early years / Sevilla

Born in Curitiba, Paraná, Adriano started professionally for his hometown club, Coritiba Foot Ball Club, making his first team debuts at not yet 18. In January 2005, he joined Sevilla FC in a four 1/2-year deal,^[2] his La Liga debut arriving on the 29th, a 0–4 home loss against eventual champions FC Barcelona. The Andalusians, however, did finish sixth and qualified for the UEFA Cup. In the following seasons, Adriano continued to feature in several positions for Sevilla with equal success, as it won back-to-back UEFA Cups, with the player contributing with 25 matches and four goals in both editions combined. In the final of the latter edition, he opened the score against RCD Espanyol, in an eventual penalty shootout win;^[3] previously, in late September 2006, he had added a further five years to his link.^[4] After three years residing in the country, he was granted Spanish citizenship.

Adriano struggled with some injuries during the 2009–10 season, but still contributed with 27 games (no goals) as Sevilla finished fourth and returned to the UEFA Champions League.

Barcelona

On 16 July 2010, Adriano signed a 4+1 deal with Barcelona, for €9.5 million plus a conditional fee of €4 million; it also included a buyout clause of €90 million.^[5] He was awarded the No. 21 shirt vacated by Ukrainian Dmytro Chygrynskiy, who departed after just one season.^[6] Adriano made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Vålerenga, coming on in the second half; on 14 August, he appeared first officially, in the first leg of the season's domestic Supercup, a 1–3 loss at former side Sevilla.

Adriano spent the vast majority of his first season with Barça as a substitute. On 2 February 2011, in a rare start, he scored his first goal for the Catalans, netting in a 3–0 semi-final win at UD Almería for the season's Copa del Rey (8–0 on aggregate).^[7] Due to the illness of regular first choice left-back Eric Abidal, Adriano became more of a regular starter in the left-back position from March onwards, although Abidal recovered in time to start the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final ahead of Adriano.

In 2011–12, Adriano was again mostly a reserve for the Josep Guardiola-led side. On 15 December 2011, however, in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, he scored the first two goals in a 4–0 semi-final win against Sadd Sports Club, the first coming after a mistake by the Qatari team's defense to open the score in the 25th minute.^[8] With Eric Abidal having to undergo a liver transplant in relation to his previous health problems, Adriano has again started more games from March onwards.

International career

Shortly after helping the U-20s win the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, Adriano made his full squad debuts also in that year.

In 2004, he was part of the squad that won the Copa América, in Peru.

Club statistics

As of 26 May 2012

Honours

Club

Coritiba

• Campeonato Paranaense: 2003, 2004

Sevilla

• Copa del Rey: 2006–07, 2009–10
• Supercopa de España: 2007
• UEFA Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
• UEFA Super Cup: 2006; Runner-up 2007

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2010–11
• Copa del Rey: 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11
• Supercopa de España: 2010, 2011
• UEFA Champions League: 2010–11
• UEFA Super Cup: 2011
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2011

Country

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2003
• Copa América: 2004

References

External links

• FC Barcelona profile
• BDFutbol profile
• Adriano Correia at National-Football-Teams.com
• Adriano Correia – FIFA competition record
• Adriano Correia – UEFA competition record
• Transfermarkt profile

Brazil squads v t e Brazil squad – 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup Runners-up 1 Gomes 2 Maicon 3 Luisão 4 Alex 5 Adriano 6 Paulo Almeida 7 Júlio Baptista 8 Kaká (c) 9 Ewerthon 10 Diego 11 Robinho 12 Alexandre Negri 13 Coelho 14 André Bahia 15 Nilmar 16 Nádson 17 Carlos Alberto 18 Thiago Motta Coach: Ricardo Gomes v t e Brazil squad – 2004 Copa América Winners (7th Title) 1 Júlio César 2 Mancini 3 Luisão 4 Juan 5 Renato 6 Gustavo Nery 7 Adriano 8 Kléberson 9 Luís Fabiano 10 Alex (c) 11 Edu 12 Fábio 13 Maicon 14 Bordon 15 Cris 16 Dudu Cearense 17 Adriano Correia 18 Júlio Baptista 19 Diego 20 Felipe 21 Oliveira 22 Vágner Love Coach: Parreira v t e Brazil squad – 2011 Copa América 1 Júlio César 2 Daniel Alves 3 Lúcio (c) 4 Thiago Silva 5 Lucas Leiva 6 André Santos 7 Robinho 8 Ramires 9 Pato 10 Ganso 11 Neymar 12 Victor 13 Maicon 14 Luisão 15 Sandro 16 Elano 17 Elias 18 Lucas 19 Fred 20 Jádson 21 Adriano 22 Jefferson 23 David Luiz Coach: Mano Menezes