Gustavo Manduca

Gustavo Manduca (born 8 June 1980 in Urussanga, Criciúma, Santa Catarina) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for APOEL F.C. in Cyprus, mainly as a left winger.

He also holds an Italian passport, and played professionally in five different countries, mainly in Portugal – where he had a very brief spell with Benfica.

Club career

After a brief spell with Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Manduca moved in 1998 to Finland, with HJK Helsinki. After only two matches, he was loaned to Atlantis FC of the second level, for the remainder of the season.

Manduca moved to Portugal in 1999, successively representing F.C. Felgueiras, G.D. Esposende and G.D. Chaves, all in the second division. In the 2003–04 season he made his top flight debuts, joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira.

Manduca blossomed into a top level player with C.S. Marítimo, where he scored in a 2004–05 UEFA Cup first round penalty shootout exit against Glasgow Rangers, moving to Sport Lisboa e Benfica in January 2006, on a four 1/2-year contract. He would appear in 16 league contests, scoring in a 1–3 loss at União de Leiria, on February 4.

On August 2006, Manduca signed...
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