Papu' Gomez's sad farewell from Padova, heading to Forte Virtus

Alejandro "Papu" Gomez has terminated the contract with Padova and moves to Forte Virtus, a club of the United Arab Emirates, where he will be awaited by coach Andrea Tedesco.

A career interrupted by injuries

The Argentine attacking midfielder, who arrived at Padova last November, has ended his spell after less than a season, failing to influence the club's results. World champion in 2022, Gomez did not display the talent that for years enchanted Italian football.

In his sole year of stay he collected nine appearances for a total of 565 minutes, limited by a series of ankle injuries. The operation took place on April 14, keeping him out for most of the campaign.

For Padova the early departure represents a saving of about half a million euros on the salary, since the contract would have naturally expired on June 30.

Gomez will move to Dubai together with his wife and children, a sign of a decision that also concerns his private life beyond his sporting career.

The sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli said: “There is no possibility for any of them to re-enter our technical project. The directly concerned parties have known this very well since the start of the season and we do not want to succumb to any kind of last‑minute blackmail.”

The future in Dubai with Forte Virtus

Forte Virtus, owned by former Verona president Maurizio Setti, has shown interest in the attacking midfielder and has already completed the signings of Mario Rui, Emanuel Vignato (from Pisa) and Alessio Buttaro (from Palermo). The club has also made an offer to Cristian Buonaiuto, also excluded by Padova.

Coached by the Italian Andrea Tedesco, the squad of Forte Virtus includes three Italian players: Alessio Buttaro, Fabrizio Marazzotti and Emanuel Vignato. Gomez will arrive with a record of 66 goals, 81 assists in 317 Serie A appearances, in addition to 17 caps and 3 goals for the Argentine national team.