The pictures show Gabriel during the 1:0 win against PSV Eindhoven in the
Champions League on 14.04.07.
Group C
.
GALATASARAY 3:2 LIVERPOOL (2:1) Fowler (22, 90). (05.12.06, Istanbul)
Jerzy Dudek, Gabriel Paletta, Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher, John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso (Miki Roque 84),
Daniel Guthrie (Luis Garcia 66), Lee Peltier, Jermaine Pennant, Craig Bellamy (Peter Crouch 74), Robbie Fowler
Quarter-Finals
LIVERPOOL 1:0 PSV EINDHOVEN (0:0) Crouch (67). (11.04.07, Eindhoven)
Jose Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Daniel Agger (Gabriel Paletta 79), Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise,
Xabi Alonso (Mark Gonzalez 72), Mohammed Sissoko, Jermaine Pennant, Boudewijn Zenden,
Peter Crouch, Craig Bellamy (Robbie Fowler 17).
Photograph of Gabriel Paletta taken 8th. November 2006. © G.Herringshaw.
| So close was Gabriel Paletta to signing for River Plate in July 2006
that the Argentine side had already reserved the number six shirt in
readiness for the highly-rated young centre back. So when the powerful
defender instead signed for Liverpool in a deal believed to be worth
around £2.5 million, the news came as something as a shock - especially
for River Plate.
Paletta rose to prominence as an ever present in
the triumphant Argentina side which won the 2005 FIFA World
Championship, alongside a certain Lionel Messi. Viewed by Reds' boss
Rafa Benitez as a long-term replacement for Jamie Carragher big things
were expected of the 20-year-old Argentine. However, as with many of the
overseas youth prospects brought to Anfield during the Benitez regime,
Paletta's time at the club did not live up to expectations.
That
said, Gabriel's first team career did get off to the best possible
start, as he headed in a debut goal in a 4-3 win over Reading in the
League Cup. Paletta started in all three of Liverpool's League Cup
matches during the 2006/07 season, while he was also named in the
staring XI for a Champions League group match against Galatasaray, once
the Reds had already qualified for the next round.
He had to be
more patient to be awarded his first Premier League start, though. After
making his league debut on 2nd December as a second-half replacement
for Sami Hyypia in a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan Athletic, Paletta would not
get another taste of league action until late April, once Liverpool's
Premier League season was as good as over. The Argentine started two
games in a row as Benitez rested most of his star players ahead of the
2007 Champions League final, with the weakened Reds losing both - 2-1 to
Portsmouth and 1-0 to Fulham.
In all, Paletta made eight
appearances during the 2006/07 season, and had looked fairly impressive
in the limited game time he'd had. However, the young Argentine had
failed to settle in England, and after almost joining Spanish side
Levante on loan in July 2007, the defender ultimately moved back to
Argentina a month later. He joined Boca Juniors for an undisclosed fee
on 27th August as part of the deal which led to young left-back Emiliano
Insua having his 18-month loan deal to Liverpool made permanent. (David Fuller)
|
CLUB CAREER:
2005–2006 Banfield 42 (5)
2006–2007 Liverpool 3 (0)
2007–2010 Boca Juniors 59 (5)
2010–2015 Parma 123 (5)
2015–2018 Milan 44 (2)
2015–2016 Atalanta (loan) 24 (1)