Fábio Rochemback

Fábio Rochemback
Personal information
Full name Fábio Rochemback
Date of birth (1981-12-10) 10 December 1981 (age 41)
Place of birth Soledade, Brazil
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Internacional
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Internacional 40 (7)
2001–2005 Barcelona 45 (3)
2003–2005 → Sporting CP (loan) 46 (10)
2005–2008 Middlesbrough 68 (5)
2008–2009 Sporting CP 20 (1)
2009–2012 Grêmio 69 (3)
2012–2013 Dalian Aerbin 51 (7)
2014 Ipiranga de Passo Fundo
Total 339 (36)
International career
2004 Brazil U23 6 (0)
2001 Brazil 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Fábio Rochemback (born 10 December 1981) is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

At different ends of his career, he represented both Grenal rivals of his home state of Rio Grande do Sul: Internacional and Grêmio. He signed for Barcelona at 19 for €15 million but struggled,[1][2][3][4] while he reached the 2005 UEFA Cup Final on loan to Sporting CP. He also spent three years at Middlesbrough of the Premier League, and played in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final for them.

Rochemback played seven games for Brazil, at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2001 Copa América.

Club career

Barcelona

Born in Soledade, Rio Grande do Sul, Rochemback began his career with nearby Sport Club Internacional before transferring to FC Barcelona in July 2001 at the age of 19. The transfer fee was 2.43 billion pesetas in three instalments (€15 million).[4][3][2][5]

Expected to be a replacement for the departure of long-serving captain Pep Guardiola, Rochemback played a more physical game than the latter, with a strong shot.[1] He has been named as one of the worst players in the club's history, having played at one of their worst periods.[1][2][3][4] In two full seasons at the Camp Nou he made 68 total appearances and scored four goals, most memorably a long-distance strike as a substitute in a 3–1 UEFA Champions League win away to Liverpool on 20 November 2001.[6]

Loan to Sporting CP

In July 2003, Rochemback was loaned to Portugal's Sporting CP for a year, as part of the deal that saw Ricardo Quaresma move in the other direction for €10 million.[7] In his second season in Lisbon, he helped the club to the final of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, scoring a 30-metre free kick in a 2–1 win at Feyenoord in the second leg of the last 16,[8] and wrapped up a 4–1 win over Newcastle United (4–2 aggregate) in the second part of the quarter-finals.[9] In the final at the club's own Estádio José Alvalade he played the full 90 minutes of a 3–1 loss to PFC CSKA Moscow.[10]

Middlesbrough

Having caught the eye of Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren during a UEFA Cup game for Sporting earlier in the year, Rochemback signed a five-year deal with the Teesside club on transfer deadline day of 31 August 2005. The late deal had been jeopardised by financial complications: Sporting were subject to a €1 million payment to Barcelona if Rochemback did not spend three years on loan at the club, so Middlesbrough agreed to pay this fee as well.[11] This transfer is one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns because of the lack of co-operation from agents Pini Zahavi and Barry Silkman.[12][13]

Rochemback made his league debut in a 2–1 home win over Arsenal on 10 September,[14] and scored his first goal on 11 February 2006 in a 3–0 victory against leaders and reigning champions Chelsea also at the Riverside Stadium.[15] His first FA Cup goal for Middlesbrough came direct from a free kick, in a 4–2 victory over Charlton Athletic in a quarter–final replay on 11 April.[16] He also played an important role in Middlesbrough's run to the 2006 UEFA Cup Final in a 4–1 victory (4–3 on aggregate) against FC Basel in the quarter–final second leg on 6 April, which he was named man of the match.[17]

Rochemback scored a stunning free kick in Middlesbrough's last match of the 2007–08 Premier League an 8–1 win over Manchester City on 11 May 2008.[18]

During his time on Teesside he earned the nickname "Knock'em-back" due to his regular visits to The Keys pub / nightclub in Yarm on weekends[citation needed].

Return to Sporting CP

On 13 May 2008, Rochemback was released from Middlesbrough,[19] after they rejected the chance to take up a two-year option on his contract.[20] He signed a three-year deal to return to Sporting on the same day.[19]

Grêmio

In August 2009, Rochemback signed a two–year contract with Grêmio and acquired 30% economic rights for €928,000.[21] Sporting retained 40% economic rights.[22] (However Sporting later announced it sold 90% rights[23]) In January 2011 he extended his contract to 31 December 2012.[24]

Dalian

In January 2012, Grêmio directors confirmed the transfer of Rochemback to Chinese Super League club Dalian Aerbin. He left the club in the end of 2013.[25]

Return to Brazil

Before manager Renato Gaúcho signed with Fluminense for the 2014 season, he recommended the signing of Rochemback, who he coached while at Grêmio.[26] In January 2014, Rochemback was close to sign with Sport in a two-year deal.[27] The club ended the negotiations due to a change in the financial agreement after a first offer was previously agreed.[28]

In June, he joined Passo Fundo amateur club Ipiranga and won the amateur tournament held by the city in 2014.[29][30]

International career

Rochemback earned seven caps for Brazil, all in competitions in 2001. He made his debut on 31 May in the team's 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup opener against Cameroon, replacing Vágner at half time in a 2–0 win;[31] he played all five games as the team came fourth. Weeks later, he went to the 2001 Copa América in Colombia.[32]

Personal life

In 2011, police found birds used for cockfighting at a building owned by Rochemback in Soledade. In October 2017, he was arrested on further charges of involvement in the blood sport when evidence was found in Palmeira das Missões.[33]

Honours

Sporting CP

Middlesbrough

References

  1. ^ a b c Jiménez, Mayca (27 September 2017). "Rochemback, la promesa que desilusionó a Barça y Sporting" [Rochemback, the promising player who disappointed Barça and Sporting]. Diario AS (in Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c Picos, Sergio (12 August 2017). "De Balones de Oro a pufos: los últimos brasileños del Barça" [From Ballon d'Or winners to flops: Barça's last Brazilians]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Ferragut, Adrià (28 August 2018). "¿Qué fue de Fabio [sic] Rochemback? Fracaso azulgrana, traidor en Brasil y problemas por peleas de gallos" [What happened to Fábio Rochemback? Azulgrana failure, traitor in Brazil and problems for cockfighting]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Bona, German (11 April 2018). "Rochemback, el 'cañonero' que desvió su trayectoria" [Rochemback, the 'gunner' whose career went off]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  5. ^ "El Barça presenta a Rochemback" [Barça present Rochemback]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 4 July 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  6. ^ Lacey, David (21 November 2001). "Reds reel under Barca backlash". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Quaresma no Barcelona, Rochemback em Alvalade" [Quaresma to Barcelona, Rochemback to Alvalade]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 July 2003. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Sporting's final fantasy alive". UEFA. 24 February 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  9. ^ Walker, Michael (15 April 2005). "Sporting blow Newcastle away". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  10. ^ Scott, Matt (19 May 2005). "Abramovich backs winner again as CSKA secure Russian first". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Boro's last-gasp Rochemback deal". The Northern Echo. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Transfer probe queries 17 deals". BBC Sport. 15 June 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  13. ^ Bond, David (28 June 2007). "The Zahavi deals – the full story can be told". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  14. ^ "Middlesbrough 2–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 10 September 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  15. ^ "Middlesbrough 3–0 Chelsea". BBC Sport. 11 February 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  16. ^ "Middlesbrough 4–2 Charlton". BBC Sport. 12 April 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  17. ^ "Middlesbrough 4–1 Basel (agg 4–3)". BBC Sport. 6 April 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  18. ^ Bevan, Chris (11 May 2008). "Middlesbrough 8–1 Man City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Rochemback shown Boro exit door". BBC Sport. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  20. ^ Stewart, Rob (13 May 2008). "Rochemback shown Boro exit door". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  21. ^ "Oferta pública de subscrição – Prospecto" [Public Offer for Subscription – Prospectus] (PDF). Sporting CP (in Portuguese). 10 December 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Relatório e Contas 2009 / 2010 aprovado em Assembleia Geral de 29 de Setembro de 2010" (PDF). Sporting CP (in Portuguese). 30 September 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  23. ^ Prospecto de admissão à negociação no Eurolist by Euronext da Euronext Lisbon
  24. ^ Rochemback renova com o Grêmio até o final de 2012 Archived 23 July 2012 at archive.today
  25. ^ "Após liberação de Edinho, Rochemback entra na mira do Flu". www.foxsports.com.br.
  26. ^ "Rochemback: pedido especial de Renato Gaúcho – De Prima – LANCE!". 27 December 2013.
  27. ^ "Pai de Fábio Rochemback diz que atleta está perto de acertar com Sport".
  28. ^ "Sport recusa pedida de Rochemback, que fica distante de acerto". www.foxsports.com.br.
  29. ^ "Ipiranga conquista a taça do futebol amador em Passo Fundo".
  30. ^ www.parcerianet.com.br, Parceria Sistemas -. "O NACIONAL – Notícias de Passo Fundo e região". www.onacional.com.br.
  31. ^ "Brasil joga quatro minutos e vence Camarões" [Brazil play for four minutes and beat Cameroon] (in Portuguese). Terra. 31 May 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  32. ^ Roberts, Mike (4 June 2016). "FC Barcelona and the history of the Copa America". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  33. ^ Gullon, Nick (10 October 2017). "Report former Middlesbrough player Fabio Rochemback arrested in Brazil for alleged cockfighting offences". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 11 April 2020.

External links