Diego Pituca

Diego Cristiano Evaristo (born 1 August 1992), known as Diego Pituca or simply Pituca, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Santos. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also play as a left back.

Diego Pituca

Diego Pituca playing for Santos in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Diego Cristiano Evaristo
Date of birth	(1992-08-01) 1 August 1992
Place of birth	Mogi Guaçu, Brazil
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	Santos
Number	21
Youth career
2002–2009	Guaçuano
2009–2010	Itapirense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011	Mineiros	0	(0)
2011	Brasilis	15	(0)
2012–2013	Guaçuano	39	(6)
2013–2015	Matonense	65	(6)
2014	→ União São João (loan)	13	(3)
2015	→ Botafogo-SP (loan)	12	(0)
2016–2017	Botafogo-SP	48	(3)
2017–	Santos	99	(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 01:37, 17 August 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Pituca was born in Mogi Guaçu, São Paulo, and mainly represented Guaçuano and Itapirense as a youth. In 2011 he joined Mineiros, but failed to appear for the side during his spell.[1][2]

In 2011 Pituca returned to his native state, after agreeing to a contract with Brasilis.[2] He made his debut for the club on 7 May of that year by starting in a 1–0 Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão away loss against his first club Guaçuano,[3] and played his first campaign as a left back.[2]

On 11 January 2012, after being a regular starter for Brasilis, Pituca moved back to Mandi.[4] He only scored his first senior goal on 3 March of the following year, in a 2–2 home draw against Sertãozinho; thirteen days later, however, he netted a brace in a 4–1 home routing of Marília.

After two seasons as a starter, Pituca joined Matonense in April 2013.[5] On 28 May 2014, he was loaned to União São João until the end of the year's Paulistão Segunda Divisão.[6]

Botafogo-SP

Upon returning to Matonense, Pituca impressed enough for the side to secure a loan deal to Botafogo on 19 May 2015, despite being relegated with his previous club.[7] He immediately became a starter at the side, helping in their Campeonato Brasileiro Série D winning campaign and remaining a mainstay afterwards; on 17 November 2016, he renewed his contract until the end of 2018.[8]

Santos

Pituca representing Santos in 2018

On 29 May 2017 Pituca joined Santos, being initially assigned to the B-team.[9] The following 24 January, he was promoted to the first team by new manager Jair Ventura.[10]

Pituca made his first team – and Série A – debut on 14 April 2018, replacing Jean Mota in a 2–0 home win against Ceará.[11] He made his Copa Libertadores debut on 24 May, starting in a 0–0 home draw against Real Garcilaso.[12]

Pituca scored his first senior goal for Peixe on 23 September 2018, netting the opener in a 1–1 home draw against Vasco da Gama. Under new manager Cuca, he became an undisputed starter[13] and finished the campaign with 34 league appearances.

On 3 May 2019, Pituca renewed his contract until April 2023.[14] He remained a regular under subsequent managers Jorge Sampaoli and Jesualdo Ferreira, playing in a more advanced midfield role with the latter.[15]

Career statistics

As of 16 August 2020[16]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mineiros	2011	Goiano 2ª Divisão	—		0	0	—		—		—		0	0
Brasilis	2011	Paulista 2ª Divisão	—		15	0	—		—		—		15	0
Guaçuano	2012	Paulista A3	—		22	0	—		—		11[lower-alpha 1]	0	33	0
	2013		—		17	6	—		—		—		17	6
	Subtotal		—		39	6	—		—		11	0	50	6
Matonense	2013[17]	Paulista 2ª Divisão	—		26	3	—		—		—		26	3
	2014	Paulista A3	—		22	3	—		—		—		22	3
	2015	Paulista A2	—		17	0	—		—		—		17	0
	Subtotal		—		65	6	—		—		—		65	6
União São João (loan)	2014[18]	Paulista 2ª Divisão	—		13	3	—		—		—		13	3
Botafogo–SP	2015	Série D	12	0	—		—		—		—		12	0
	2016	Série C	19	0	14	3	—		—		—		33	3
	2017		2	0	13	0	—		—		—		15	0
	Subtotal		33	0	27	3	—		—		—		60	3
Santos	2017	Série A	—		—		—		—		17[lower-alpha 1]	3	17	3
	2018		34	1	0	0	3	0	3[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		40	1
	2019		35	2	14	1	7	1	2[lower-alpha 3]	0	—		58	4
	2020		3	0	13	1	0	0	2[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		18	1
	Subtotal		72	3	27	2	10	1	7	0	17	3	133	9
Career total			105	3	185	20	10	1	7	0	28	3	335	27

1. Appearance(s) in Copa Paulista
2. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
3. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Club

Matonense

• Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão: 2013

Botafogo-SP

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série D: 2015

Individual

• Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2019[19]

References

1. ""Quero fazer história no Santos"" ["I want to make history at Santos"] (in Portuguese). Jornal Grande Jogada. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
2. ""Meu sonho é ter a minha cara no muro do CT", por Diego Pituca" ["My dream is to have my face painted in the wall of the training ground", by Diego Pituca] (in Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
3. "Brasilis 0 x 1 Guaçuano - Mandi estreia com vitória na Segundona!" [Brasilis 0–1 Guaçuano – Mandi debut with victory in the Segundona!] (in Portuguese). Futebol Interior. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
4. "Guaçuano renova com metade do elenco do ano passado e contrata mais 12" [Guaçuano renew with half of the squad of the last year and sign another 12] (in Portuguese). Futebol Barretos. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
5. "Matonense apresenta elenco para a temporada" [Matonense present squad for the season] (in Portuguese). JC Matão. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
6. "União São João contrata meia que subiu com Matonense na Série A3" [União São João sign midfielder who was promoted with Matonense in the Série A3] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
7. "Bota-SP apresenta Francis, Samuel, Jardel e Diego Pituca nesta terça-feira" [Bota-SP present Francis, Samuel, Jardel and Diego Pita this Tuesday] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
8. "Diego Pituca renova contrato com o Botafogo-SP até o fim de 2018" [Diego Pituca renews contract with Botafogo-SP until the end of 2018] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
9. "Santos acerta a contratação de Diego Pituca, do Botafogo-SP" [Santos sign Diego Pituca, from Botafogo-SP] (in Portuguese). Esporte Interativo. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
10. "Diego Pituca é promovido ao profissional do Santos" [Diego Pituca is promoted to the professionals of Santos] (in Portuguese). Lance!. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
11. "Santos bate Ceará e volta a vencer em estreia de Brasileirão depois de 13 anos" [Santos defeat Ceará and is back to winning in debut after 13 years] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
12. "Santos empata com Real Garcilaso e vai às oitavas da Libertadores como líder do grupo" [Santos draw against Real Garcilaso and go to Libertadores' round of 16 as group leaders] (in Portuguese). ESPN Brasil. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
13. "Qualidade no passe torna Diego Pituca incontestável no meio-campo do Santos" [Passing quality makes Diego Pituca indisputable at Santos' midfield] (in Portuguese). IG. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
14. "Santos anuncia renovação do contrato de Diego Pituca" [Santos announce Diego Pituca's contract renewal] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
15. "Diego Pituca explica nova função, vê Santos 70% pronto e diz: "Quero ter a cara no muro"" [Diego Pituca explains new role, sees Santos 70% ready and states: "I want to have my face in the wall"] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
16. Diego Pituca at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
17. "Paulista - Segunda Divisão - 2013" (in Portuguese). Federação Paulista de Futebol. 27 February 2017.
18. "Paulista - Segunda Divisão - 2014" (in Portuguese). Federação Paulista de Futebol. 27 February 2017.
19. "Corinthians, Jean Mota e Martinelli dominam premiação do campeonato" [Corinthians, Jean Mota and Martinelli dominate the tournament's awards] (in Portuguese). Federação Paulista de Futebol. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.

External links

• Diego Pituca at Soccerway