Luiz Gustavo

Lore & Background

Luiz Gustavo arrived at Marseille in July 2017 after a decade in Germany, bringing with him a reputation as a battle-hardened defensive midfielder. His signing for €8 million and a club-record monthly salary of €750,000 signaled the club's ambition. He made an immediate impact, contributing to Clinton N'Jie's goal on his Ligue 1 debut in a 3–0 win over Dijon. His first goal for the club came on 1 October, concluding a 4–2 win at Nice, though the match was marred by his red card for a shin-high challenge on Pierre Lees-Melou. Three weeks later, he returned with a bang, scoring from 30 yards to open the scoring in a 2–2 draw with rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique at the Stade Vélodrome. Gustavo was an ever-present in the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League, playing all of Marseille's 19 matches as they reached the final, losing 3–0 to Atlético Madrid in Lyon. He made 56 official appearances in his first season in France, making him the most selected player by manager Rudi Garcia that year. His consistency earned him a place in the Ligue 1 team of the year at the Trophées UNFP du football.

In Their Own Story

The Stade Vélodrome roared as Luiz Gustavo picked up the ball 30 yards from goal. It was his return from suspension, and the weight of the Le Classique rivalry pressed down on every touch. He steadied himself, wound up, and let fly. The ball screamed past the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, nestling into the net. The stadium erupted. He had opened the scoring in a 2–2 draw, a moment of pure power and precision that defined his first season in France. Earlier that year, he had scored his first goal for the club in a 4–2 win at Nice, only to be sent off for a shin-high challenge on Pierre Lees-Melou. But this was different. This was redemption, a statement that the Brazilian midfielder had arrived.

Reader's Guide

Luiz Gustavo joined Olympique de Marseille on 4 July 2017, signing a four-year deal for a fee of €8 million. His monthly salary of €750,000 was a club record at the time. He made his debut on 27 July in a 4–2 home win over KV Oostende in the third round of Europa League qualification. His Ligue 1 debut came on 6 August in a 3–0 home win over Dijon, where he contributed to Clinton N'Jie's opening goal. He scored his first goal for the club on 1 October in a 4–2 win at Nice, but was sent off in the same match for a shin-high challenge on Pierre Lees-Melou. On his return three weeks later, he scored a 30-yard strike to open the scoring in a 2–2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique at the Stade Vélodrome. Gustavo was an ever-present in the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League, playing all 19 matches as Marseille reached the final, where they lost 3–0 to Atlético Madrid in Lyon. He made 56 official appearances in his first season, the most of any player under manager Rudi Garcia. His performances earned him a spot in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year at the Trophées UNFP du football. He remained with Marseille until 2 September 2019, when he signed a four-year deal with Turkish club Fenerbahçe.

Did You Know?

• Luiz Gustavo's monthly salary of €750,000 at Marseille was a club record at the time of his signing.
• He scored from 30 yards to open the scoring in a 2–2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique at the Stade Vélodrome.
• He played all 19 of Marseille's matches in the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League as they reached the final.
• He made 56 official appearances in his first season at Marseille, the most of any player under manager Rudi Garcia.
• He was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year at the Trophées UNFP du football for the 2017–18 season.