Gustavo Manduca


Gustavo Manduca is a Brazilian former footballer who played mainly as a left winger, and a current manager.
He also held an Italian passport, and played professionally in five countries, mainly in Portugal – where he represented six teams in seven years, including a very brief spell with Benfica. He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 91 games and 15 goals, over three seasons.
Manduca signed with APOEL in 2010, remaining with the club until his retirement and winning eight major titles.

Playing career

Early years / Portugal

Manduca was born in Urussanga, Criciúma. After a brief spell with Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense he signed with Finnish club Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi in 1998 and, after only two matches, was loaned to Atlantis FC of the country's second division for the remainder of the season.
Manduca moved to Portugal in 1999, successively representing F.C. Felgueiras, A.D. Esposende and G.D. Chaves, all in the second tier. In the 2003–04 campaign he made his Primeira Liga debut, joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira.
Manduca blossomed into a top-flight player with C.S. Marítimo, where he scored in a 2004–05 UEFA Cup first round penalty shootout exit against Rangers, moving to S.L. Benfica in January 2006 on a four-and-a-half-year contract. He appeared in 16 league games in his only season, netting in a 1–3 loss at U.D. Leiria on 4 February.

AEK

In August 2006, Manduca signed a one-year loan with the option for a permanent move with AEK Athens FC, as he was deemed surplus to requirements by new Benfica coach Fernando Santos.
He made three appearances in the season's UEFA Champions League, and helped the capital club to the second place in the Superleague Greece. On 16 May 2007, he agreed to a permanent three-year contract.

APOEL

After four years of regular use at AEK, the 30-year-old Manduca signed a three-year deal with APOEL FC from neighbouring Cyprus. In his debut campaign he won the First Division for the first national championship of his career, scoring ten goals and providing as many assists.
On 13 September 2011, in a home game against FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Champions League, Manduca scored the equaliser in the 73rd minute and, two minutes later, assisted compatriot Aílton for the final 2–1 win and the club's first ever in that stage of the competition. On 1 November, he netted in the last minute against FC Porto. In the round-of-16's second leg against Olympique Lyonnais, on 7 March 2012, he netted the 1–0 at home which levelled the tie, being sent off before the penalty shootout victory; on 4 April 2012, he scored his side's first goal in an eventual 2–5 quarter-final loss at Real Madrid.
Manduca won his second Cypriot league in 2012–13, starting in all 32 league matches and scoring 12 times. On 31 May 2013, he signed a two-year contract extension.
The following campaign, Manduca bettered that total to a career-best 13 goals, being an essential attacking unit as his team won conquered the treble of league, Cup and Super Cup. He was also a regular in the next season's Champions League group stage and equalised from the penalty spot in a 1–1 home draw to AFC Ajax on 30 September 2014.
On 30 March 2015, aged 34, Manduca announced his immediate retirement from football due to a serious ankle injury. The same day, he was appointed director of football at APOEL, signing a two-year contract with the club.
On 7 October 2015, after only six months in the post, Manduca left the GSP Stadium by mutual consent.

Coaching career

APOEL

On 11 May 2015, following the dismissal of Thorsten Fink, Manduca took over as caretaker manager for APOEL's crucial final two games of the season as well as the Cypriot Cup final, alongside assistant Giorgos Kostis and former club captain Marinos Satsias. His short spell in charge saw the team win the double after beating AEL Limassol 4–2 in the domestic cup decider, and collecting the four points needed to conquer the league title.

Othellos

At the end of the 2015–16 campaign, Manduca agreed terms with Cypriot Second Division side Othellos Athienou FC to take over as coach. On 21 November 2016, after only a few months in charge, his contract was terminated due to a poor string of results.

Honours

HJK
AEK Athens
APOEL