Léo Baptistão


Leonardo "Leo" Carrilho Baptistão is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Chinese club Wuhan Zall F.C. mainly as a striker but also as a winger.
He spent most of his career in Spain from the age of 16, making 178 appearances and scoring 34 goals in La Liga. He represented Rayo Vallecano, Atlético Madrid, Betis, Villarreal and Espanyol in the competition, and played a part in Atlético's league win in 2013–14.

Club career

Early career

Born in Santos, São Paulo, Baptistão began playing football for Associação Atlética Portuguesa, alongside Neymar. Aged only 16, he moved to Spain and joined Rayo Vallecano's youth system. However, he soon contracted hepatitis and had to return home to be treated by his father, a doctor; subsequently, he was loaned to CD San Fernando de Henares after the Royal Spanish Football Federation prevented him from joining his previous club.

Rayo Vallecano

In July 2011, after playing his last year as a junior again with Rayo, Baptistão joined the first team for preseason games. However, in his debut, a Trophy of Vallecas match against Sporting de Gijón, he suffered a collarbone injury; his first appearances as a senior were made with the B-team, in Segunda División B.
In the summer of 2012, Baptistão was recalled for Rayo's main squad for the preseason. On 25 August he finally made his first-team debut, starting in a 2–1 La Liga away win against Real Betis, assisting Piti on one goal and scoring the decider. On 16 September he netted against Atlético Madrid but in a 3–4 away loss, adding a brace the following month at RCD Espanyol but again not being able to help his team earn a single point.
Baptistão quickly became an automatic first-choice in his first year with the Paco Jémez-led side. On 3 November 2012 he provided a further two assists for Piti in a 2–1 away victory over Málaga CF, scoring his fifth goal of the season the following matchday, a 3–2 home defeat of RC Celta de Vigo.
In January 2013, with the winter transfer window opened, Baptistão was linked with moves to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United and Brighton, but nothing came of it. On 14 February, in his second appearance after being sidelined several weeks with a muscle injury, he scored the winner in a 2–1 home win over Atlético Madrid, only to be downed with another collarbone ailment in April, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Atlético Madrid

On 3 June 2013, Baptistão signed a five-year contract with Atlético Madrid for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for his new team on 21 August, replacing Arda Turan in a 1–1 home draw against FC Barcelona in the first leg of the domestic Supercup, which was eventually lost on the away goals rule.
Baptistão scored his first goal for the Colchoneros on 18 September 2013, in a 3–1 home win over FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in that season's UEFA Champions League. It was also his maiden appearance in the competition.
On 11 January 2014, Baptistão joined fellow league club Betis on loan until June. He scored in a 2–0 away win over city rivals Sevilla FC in the last-16 clash of the UEFA Europa League, but the tie eventually ended in penalty shootout elimination.
On 19 August 2014, Baptistão joined former side Rayo in a season-long loan. In late September, in two matches separated by only three days, he earned his team six points by scoring braces at home against Athletic Bilbao and at Levante UD.
Baptistão was loaned to Villarreal CF in July 2015, with the club having an option to buy him at the end of the campaign. On 27 September, he helped defeat Atlético Madrid by scoring the game's only goal at the Estadio El Madrigal, and four days later, against FC Viktoria Plzeň in the Europa League group stage, repeated the feat.

Espanyol

On 9 July 2016, Baptistão signed a permanent five-year deal with Espanyol. In his second season, he scored a career-best eight goals.

Wuhan Zall

On 31 January 2019, Baptistão transferred to Chinese Super League newcomers Wuhan Zall FC.

Career statistics

Club

.

Honours

Atlético Madrid