He played for Sporting, Benfica and Deportivo until he was 17 and dreams of overcoming Gil

Today, one of Serpa’s characters who competes in the Portuguese Championship, Gonzalo Batista, represents the Lions, Eagles and Galicians in his squad, and the arrow will be directed towards Gil Vicente’s goal on Saturday, in the Portuguese Cup.

In the Serpa team, competing in the Portuguese Championship, there is a name that stands out with its talent and CV: at only 21 years old, Gonçalo Batista has already represented Sporting, where he started his career and represented the schools of Benfica, where he became the national junior champion, and the Spanish national team of Deportivo La Coruña. All this before he was 17 years old.

Many experiences in a very short time for Gonzalo, whose style and movement are similar – with a difference in context – to Rafa, from Benfica, and which the creator will never forget. “They were good experiences, as you can imagine. There are three big clubs and it was great to represent them all, but I think the one I felt the most about was the last one, when I went to Spain. “Since I am very attached to my family, it was a big shock to go there, although the adaptation was very easy,” says the young Serpa player.

However, homesickness and personal problems prompted Gonzalo Batista to request the termination of his contract with Witness Returning to Portugal – “It wasn’t the good things I had, there was even a time when it crossed my mind to stop playing football,” he admits – and joined Vitoria de Setubal for the first time in La Liga 3 at a young age. A very promising journey that now continues in Serpa, in the fourth division.

“Serpa offered me a very good project, I liked what they told me and also because it was a very important person for me who called me here, Nuno Pinto, with whom I played at Vitoria de Setubal.” [o técnico que iniciou a época no clube alentejano]. He spoke to me and I, I really liked it and also because of his influence, I thought it would be better for me to come to Serpa this year,” conveyed the young attacking midfielder looking at the trophy and dreaming.

The draw has put Gil Vicente on track to finish second in Series D of the Portuguese Championship, and Gonzalo Batista believes the spirit of making the cup can happen in Serpa on Saturday. “Let us face this match without any pressure, because it is not in our favor and we all unite and fight for what God wants. “We will do our best and then we will see soon at the end of the match, but of course it will be eleven to eleven and we are equal, we are human beings.”

Goncalo Batista has scored twice in 13 appearances for Serpa this season, and carries a big part of the Alentejo crest’s hopes. Who knows, good individual and team performances could serve as compensation for his career, which in his early years took him to heights that he longs to return to one day.