Leicester City 0 Bristol City 0: Promotion with the Robins is Basso's new love affair
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The poor boy from Brazil who came to England looking for a job to support his law student wife, Alessandra, is very close to striking it rich in the Premier League. Adriano Basso, the Bristol City goalkeeper, is so confident that "the future is bright" that he is even starting to dream that one day he will keep goal in the next World Cup for either Brazil or England.
Basso's life has certainly tuned upside down since Pete Johnson, the club's chief scout, recommended that his brother Gary take a look at this flamboyant shot-stopper who was scraping a living at Woking in the Conference League.
After helping the Robins earn promotion from League One last season City have, with Basso flying about in goal, quietly moved to the top of the Championship.
The South American, voted the best goalkeeper outside of the Premier League last week, earned his side their luckiest point of the season against a Leicester side that squandered enough chances to have won three games.
Basso said: "I work very hard because I am 32 years old and looking forward to playing in the next World Cup. I want to play for whoever. I have been here five years so I can get an English passport.
"But my focus now is to put Bristol City into the Premier League. People will pay more attention to us if we are there, where people in Brazil would see me too. My wife came here to study and I came four years later to get married to her and go back to Brazil. But we stayed and decided to follow my career here. I am here for love."
Bristol City's promotion credentials will be tested tomorrow night against third-placed Watford at Ashton Gate while Leicester face a relegation battle at Southampton wondering where the next goal will come from. Iain Hume missed two sitters while Kelvin Etuhu missed an open-goal chance on his debut following a loan move from Manchester City.
Ian Holloway, the Leicester manager, says there is an air of negativity pulling the Foxes towards the drop zone. "The hardest thing at this place is to keep their [the players'] minds on the process," he said. "We are a massive football club. We can get 24,000 on a regular basis but we are dragging a huge cross behind us."
Leicester City (4-4-2): Henderson; Stearman, McAuley, N'Gotty, Clapham; Etuhu (Fryatt, 60), Hendrie, Oakley, Hume (Mattock, 75); Howard, Campbell (Hayles, 75). Substitutes not used: Chambers, King.
Bristol City (4-4-2): Basso; Wilson, McCombe, Fontaine, McAllister; Carle (Sproule, 49), Johnson (Vasco, 79), Elliott, McIndoe; Byfield (Trundle, 63), Adebola. Substitutes not used: Weale (gk), Noble.
Referee: F Graham (Essex).
Booked: Leicester City Stearman, Oakley.
Man of the match: Basso.
Attendance: 22,616.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments