Sandro was part of the Brazil squad that went all the way in the Olympic Games until falling at the final hurdle against Mexico.
A real character, Sandro suffered from calf problems in 2011-12 and eventually played 27 times in all competitions, including 23 (17 starts) in the Premier League.
Signed in July, 2010, Sandro was in and out of the squad in the early part of the 2010-11 campaign following his summer switch from Internacional but his stunning performance alongside Wilson Palacios to help beat AC Milan in the San Siro in February, 2011, made everyone sit up and take notice.
He appeared to cover every blade of grass that night and his energy levels and ability to break play up were a feature for the rest of the season. That wasn't all though. He showed he had an eye for goal with a strike to remember at Chelsea as we went ahead at Stamford Bridge in April, 2011.
In the end, Sandro racked up 26 appearances in all competitions, starting 17. He was also selected for the Copa America, taking place in July, 2011. Sandro joined us from Internacional in March, 2010 and arrived in London in August, 2010, following the successful conclusion of his former club's Copa Libertadores campaign.
Inter lifted the South American equivalent of the Champions League, after a 5-3 aggregate Final victory over Chivas of Mexico. And he was straight back into action with his new club, making his debut in our League Cup third round defeat against Arsenal at White Hart Lane the following month, putting in an impressive performance.
It wasn't long before Sandro then made his first Premier League start in a 2-1 win at Fulham the following month.
Sandro made nearly 100 appearances for Inter having come through the ranks at the Porto Alegre club, playing a key role in both the Copa Libertadores success and their second place finish in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A the season before. He made his senior international debut for Brazil against Chile in a World Cup qualifier in September, 2009, aged 20.
He was also capped on eight occasions for the national team's Under-20 side and was their captain as they triumphed in the South American Youth Championship in Venezuela in February, 2009. |
