Lugano to make final appearance for Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro, Dec 1 (IANS) Former Uruguay captain Diego Lugano is poised to play his last match for Brazilian football club Sao Paulo on Sunday in what could also be his career swansong.
The 37-year-old defender, whose Sao Paulo contract expires after the last round of the Brazilian Serie A season this weekend, has not started a match since July 2, reports Xinhua.
But he trained with the first team on Thursday after Ecuadorian Robert Arboleda volunteered to cede his place in the team for Sunday’s home duel against Bahia, according to Sao Paulo officials.
Lugano, who began a second spell with the Brazilian side last year, is idolised by Sao Paulo’s fans, having played a vital role in the team’s victory over Liverpool in the 2005 FIFA Club World Cup final.
The former Paris Saint-Germain centre-back has been offered a position with Sao Paulo’s coaching staff next season, but could instead choose to continue playing elsewhere, according to reports.
Lugano was capped 95 times for Uruguay’s national team and was captain at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.