Infuriating domestically for Al Nasr, on the continent Nilmar often seemed inspired. The Brazilian forward, once a regular starter in the Primera Liga with Villarreal, ran counter to the argument that the Asian Champions League represented a considerable step up from the Arabian Gulf League.
Profligate in the UAE’s top tier last season, he proved much more productive in the continent’s leading club competition. In six appearances in the group stages for Nasr, Nilmar scored three times, a goal-every-two-games ratio that helped his team progress to the knockout stages for the first time. It also provided a timely reminder of why the club brought him back to the Gulf region from Brazil last summer.
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In the Arabian Gulf League, though, the former Internacional striker never really shone, but then he was simply the wrong fit at the wrong time. Wanting to build upon successive cup final victories and in need of a replacement for the maverick Ibrahima Toure to propel a league title bid, Nasr plumped for a diminutive attacker when they required an infinitely more robust spearhead.
However skilled, Nilmar was blatantly not that man. The consensus was, place him anywhere across the three attacking midfield positions, and his impact would increase.
As it was, he scored 13 goals in 30 domestic appearances. Eleven in the league last season consigned Nilmar to 11th in the division’s scoring charts. With Al Ahli and Al Ain sparring for the championship, Nasr did not possess the requisite firepower to challenge and eventually settled for a fourth-placed finish.
So once more needing a lead striker, and with an inaugural run at the Champions League quarter-finals to come, the club resolved this summer to fill the void. A protracted pursuit of another Brazilian concluded with the feeling Nasr are now better equipped to have a tilt at an unlikely continental crown.
Wanderley, who shone at Sharjah across the two previous seasons, arrived in July. Six weeks later, he is set to make his Champions League bow. Unlike Nilmar, the powerful striker has no truly elite-level experience, but he did enough for Sharjah to suggest he merits the opportunity to prove his capabilities.
In 51 Arabian Gulf League appearances in total for Sharjah, a side struggling against relegation, Wanderley struck 31 times. His 15 league goals last season were bettered by only three others: Sebastian Tagliabue at Al Wahda, Ali Mabkhout at Al Jazira and Fabio De Lima at Al Wasl. All three represent top-six clubs.
Wanderley is the striker Nasr should have recruited last summer, when Toure played truant and thus paved the way for his exit. The replacement to his replacement should now excel, should improve his new team.
Granted, Wanderley is untested in the Champions League and it remains to be seen if six weeks with the club is enough to fire them past El Jaish across two legs. Yet, initially at least, he appears a considerable upgrade on Nilmar.
Wanderley’s first examination comes in the first leg in Doha on Wednesday. It is exactly the sort of fixture for which Nasr have signed him.
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