Breno Vinicius Rodrigues Borges, known as Breno, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Vasco da Gama as a central defender. He was part of the Brazilian squad that won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics.
Personal life
Breno was born on 13 October 1989 in Cruzeiro. He married Renata and the couple has a son while his wife has also two children from a previous relationship.
In December 2007, Breno officially signed for German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich with a €12 million release clause, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal. Along with Bayern, Real Madrid, Milan, Juventus and Fiorentina were also interested in signing him. Breno, however, refused to sign with Real Madrid after the club wanted a bone analysis to prove his young age. Breno was recommended to Bayern Munich by one of their former players, Giovane Élber, who was later on recruited as a scout in his native country, Brazil. Breno played his first competitive match for Bayern against Anderlecht in a 2007–08 UEFA Cup knock-out stage match, an eventual 2–1 defeat.
Nürnberg
After two years and 22 matches played with Bayern Munich, Breno was loaned out to 1. FC Nürnberg on 31 December 2009. On 7 March 2010, he sustained a cruciate ligament injury, ending his season prematurely and also keeping him out of action for most of autumn during Bayern Munich's 2010–11 season.
Return to Bayern Munich
On 14 November 2010, Breno returned to first team action, playing in the 3–0 home win against his former club 1. FC Nürnberg. Borges has generally served as an understudy to German international Holger Badstuber. On 5 March 2011, he was sent off in the 1–3 away loss to Hannover 96.
Return to São Paulo
Waiting for a German justice decision, on 20 December 2012 São Paulo registered Breno as a player for its 2013 season. His move to São Paulo was officially confirmed by the Brazilian club on 19 December 2014.
Arrest
On 24 September 2011, Breno was arrested after the Munich public prosecutor had issued an arrest warrant for suspicion of suppression of evidence and the fact that he may be a possible flight risk. The reasoning for the arrest was "suspicion of aggravated arson" in regards to the almost total destruction of his villa in a suspicious fire. The damage to his villa was estimated to be €1.5 million. Bayern Munich made no comment on the arrest. Club officials had previously advised him to seek help from a psychiatrist in regards to injury frustrations, which some feared were career ending. On 6 October 2011, he was released on bail. On 11 April 2012, German prosecutors charged Breno over arson in connection with the fire that burned down his rented villa. On 4 July 2012, Breno was handed a jail sentence of three years and nine months. After the sentences, the German court announced that Breno will be deported to Brazil upon completion of his prison sentence. Breno's sentences was spoken out by sportspersons like Giovane Élber and Uli Hoeneß, though his comment was criticised by 1. FC Nürnberg director of football Martin Bader and Eintracht Frankfurt executive chairman Heribert Bruchhagen. In January 2013, Breno's proposal for his revised sentence was rejected by the German Federal Court of Justice due to his situation did not constitute a formal error of law, after his lawyer says he was under the influence of potentially dangerous medication which could have caused the events which led to his imprisonment. In May 2013, Breno was used by Bayern Munich club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as an example of neglect from Brazilian Football Confederation. For Rummenigge, while the Brazilians struggled for liberation of Dante and Luiz Gustavo to play in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup; the defender, on the other hand, was abandoned. On 19 August 2013, Breno was released from Stadelheim Prison on day release and was employed by former club Bayern Munich as a trainer for its under-23 squad.
