23.05.2008 13:15
Glory and injuries
www.fcbarcelona.cat
Edmílson is leaving FC Barcelona after four seasons during which time he has helped the club win major trophies, but also suffered from injuries to his knee that sidelined him for long spells.
"It is like a dream. My aim now is to play in as many games as possible to win the Champions
League," he said when joining the Blaugrana on July 30, 2004. The Brazilian midfielder arrived in
Catalunya after winning four consecutive Ligue 1 titles with Olympique Lyonnais and Barça's sixth
new signing that summer. The was already out in the Far East and Edmílson flew out to join them on
August 2 in Seoul.
Debut date
His official debut came on Sepember 19 of that year when he made his first appearance in the
draw with Atlético de Madrid in Vicente Calderón, a game in which he played the full 90 minutes.
Barcelona went ahead through Gio van Bronckhorst, with a shot from outside the area, before
Fernando Torres levelled matter after the break.
Vital Statistics
During the four seasons Edmílson spent at Camp Nou, he
played 71 league matches, 12 Champions League game, ten more in the Copa del Rey and two in the
Spanish Super Cup. The former São Paulo starlet was named in the starting line-up for the Champions
League final against Arsenal in Paris and was substituted for Andrés Iniesta before the Blaugrana
had scored.
Last term
The 2007-08 campaign began in Son Moix and Edmílson was able to play for 20 minutes after
undergoing a medical exam on his troublesome right knee. In all, he played 11 league games, three
in the Copa del Rey and one in the Champions League, against Celtic, throughout the season.
Injury problems
On October 3, 2004, in the sixth week of the new season, Edmílson badly
injured his right knee. In the 64th minute of game against Numancia he rose to head a ball and fell
badly. The break to his internal meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament meant that he was
sidelined until May 22, 2005, when he returned to action against Villarreal, after Barça had
already won the title. Last season, he again suffered problems with the same knee and ended up
having surgery on June 21 2007.