Leandro Desábato
Encyclopedia
Leandro Desábato nicknamed Chavo, is an Argentine
football defender
who plays for Estudiantes de La Plata
of the Argentine Primera División.
. In 2001 he joined Olimpo and after one season with the club he moved on to play for Quilmes
. With both teams he won promotion from the Primera B Nacional (Argentine second division) to the Primera División (first).
In a 2005 Copa Libertadores match, Desábato allegedly racially insulted São Paulo's player Grafite
. Desábato was arrested after the match. Following his night in jail, Desábato was defended by columnist and former Brazilian international
footballer Tostão
who stated that the insults were not racist, simply the kind of provocation that has always existed in football.
Desábato left Quilmes in 2006 to join Argentinos Juniors
and after a successful season with the club he returned to Estudiantes de La Plata. During the second half of 2008, he was a regular first team player for Estudiantes in their Copa Sudamericana campaign, where they reached the final.
Desábato was a key figure in Estudiantes' 2009 Copa Libertadores championship. He was the only outfield player on the team to play in every minute of every game during the team's run through the tournament, even as his center-back partners changed around him (from Agustín Alayes
to Cristian Cellay to Rolando Schiavi
).
In 2009 Desábato was chosen in a traditional journalist poll conducted by El País in the South American Team of the Year.
Estudiantes
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who plays for Estudiantes de La Plata
Estudiantes de La Plata
Club Estudiantes de La Plata , simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history....
of the Argentine Primera División.
Club career
Desábato began his professional career in 1997 playing for Estudiantes de La PlataEstudiantes de La Plata
Club Estudiantes de La Plata , simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history....
. In 2001 he joined Olimpo and after one season with the club he moved on to play for Quilmes
Quilmes Atlético Club
Quilmes Atlético Club is a sports clubs of Argentina, based on the Partido de Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province. Quilmes is one of the oldest clubs of Argentina, having been founded in 1887. Its football squad currently plays in the Primera B Nacional Division....
. With both teams he won promotion from the Primera B Nacional (Argentine second division) to the Primera División (first).
In a 2005 Copa Libertadores match, Desábato allegedly racially insulted São Paulo's player Grafite
Grafite
Edinaldo Batista Libânio , commonly known as Grafite is a Brazilian footballer who plays for UAE Football League club Al-Ahli Dubai....
. Desábato was arrested after the match. Following his night in jail, Desábato was defended by columnist and former Brazilian international
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
footballer Tostão
Tostão
Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade , better known as Tostão, is a former Brazilian footballer, who played as a forward. In his prime, he was considered one of the best offensive players in the world, while also contributing with many assists thanks to his passing abilities.-Football career:Born in Belo...
who stated that the insults were not racist, simply the kind of provocation that has always existed in football.
Desábato left Quilmes in 2006 to join Argentinos Juniors
Argentinos Juniors
Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors is an Argentine football club based in La Paternal, Buenos Aires. Founded on August 15, 1904, the club was originally called the “Martyrs of Chicago”, in homage to the eight anarchists imprisoned or hanged after the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.-Early...
and after a successful season with the club he returned to Estudiantes de La Plata. During the second half of 2008, he was a regular first team player for Estudiantes in their Copa Sudamericana campaign, where they reached the final.
Desábato was a key figure in Estudiantes' 2009 Copa Libertadores championship. He was the only outfield player on the team to play in every minute of every game during the team's run through the tournament, even as his center-back partners changed around him (from Agustín Alayes
Agustín Alayes
Agustín Alayes is an Argentine football defender who currently plays for River Plate of the Primera B Nacional as centre back.-Estudiantes:...
to Cristian Cellay to Rolando Schiavi
Rolando Schiavi
Rolando Schiavi is an Argentine football defender. He currently plays for Boca Juniors.-Club career:Schiavi started his career in the lower leagues with Argentino de Rosario, before moving to Argentinos Juniors in 1995. Schiavi played for Argentinos for six years, before joining Boca Juniors...
).
In 2009 Desábato was chosen in a traditional journalist poll conducted by El País in the South American Team of the Year.
Honours
Olimpo- Primera B Nacional (1): 2001–02
Estudiantes
- Copa Libertadores (1): 2009
- Argentine Primera División (1): 2010 Apertura
External links
- Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI
- ESPN statistics