“We are trying to locate him with Google Maps”

Argentine football anxious for the fate of Ricardo Centurion31 year old striker who played in Italy with Genoa for two seasons, without leaving a trace with goals or assists: the first time in 2013/14 (12 appearances), the second in 2017/18 (3 appearances, taken out of the team by Juric and reinstated by Ballardini). His current club, Velez Sarsfield, has announced that the player has been missing for several days.. “We haven’t had any information about him for a week, almost 10 days, he disappeared from one day to the next – Velez president Fabian Berlanga told Radio La Red – We are trying to locate him using Google Maps. It became difficult with Centurion, he cut off communication. It’s very sad. We make everything available“.

Ricardo Centurion has been missing for days

That phrase, “it became difficult with Centurion“, he hides behind him the enormous personal problems of a footballer who has been struggling for several years with demons that have affected and ultimately destroyed his career. The ex-San Paolo, Boca and Racing footballer was not only unavailable for Velez: his entourage confirmed the situation, explaining that he did not even respond to the last messages they sent him.

Centurion returned to Velez last December thanks to the help given to him by the club’s new management. At that moment he was not in a condition to play, in January he resumed training under close medical observation: his intention, given his latest personal vicissitudes, was to keep him under as much control as possible. Since then he has mostly been seen in the gym at Velez’s training centre, rarely being included in the first team’s on-field sessions. He played a few minutes in a friendly against Tigre in March, was called up for a Copa Argentina match remaining on the bench, and then twice more, but in the latter cases he stayed at home because he felt problems. Subsequently, faced with repeated over-the-top behavior, the technical staff didn’t want to hear anything more about it.

Velez tried to save him: “But he is struggling with the problem he has”

Finally, from mid-May, the former Genoa player began to be absent very often and the club’s management began to consider the idea of ​​terminating his contract. “Centurion is struggling with the problem he has. I find it difficult – Berlanga said last May 17 – He never gave up, we will try until the last day“. Since then the player has literally disappeared and the management – after not being able to contact him – decided to make the matter public.

Centurion in one of the last happy moments with Velez: it was 2021, since then it has been dark

Centurion’s final years have been an increasingly dizzying fall towards the abyss. The last flashes of the footballer who promised to be were seen in his first experience at Velez, in 2020: the team’s then coach, Gabriel Heinze, had insisted on signing him, hoping to relaunch his career after a season in Mexico in which he had played very little. However, due to the Covid pandemic, indiscipline had once again become his daily bread and he had been taken out of the team.

Centurion’s final years: an endless abyss

The Saint Lawrence he then thought about giving him a chance, also being very impressed by some pre-season friendlies in which Centurion had shined. An illusion, once again: more inappropriate behavior and more disservice. Next stop Barracas Central, same script: a couple of games played and then it became clear that the player’s personal problems made him unmanageable. “He’s a good guy, but I need players who are committed – said the team coach – I can’t make concessions. We need people involved every day“. Six months ago the last opportunity given to him again by Velez: an outstretched hand that was not accepted by Centurion.