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Odisha FC recently re-signed Brazilian striker Diego Mauricio, who was previously with the Kalinga Warriors in the 2020-21 season.
The central theme of their summer transfer market operations has seemingly been 'homecoming'. The Juggernauts also brought back head coach Josep Gombau for a second spell, followed by defender Carlos Delgado.
But more than just the thematic relevance, all these transfers are a testament to Odisha's eagerness to challenge for the ISL title.
However, Mauricio's return should ideally excite the Kalinga Warriors the most. If the Brazilian's first stint with the Bhubaneswar-based club is anything to go by, he can be expected to be leading their attacking line.
Diego Mauricio lets the numbers do the talking
In the 2020-21 season, Diego Maurico made 20 appearances for Odisha, accumulating 12 goals and two assists along the way. While the Juggernauts had a season to forget, Mauricio looked like a force to be reckoned with.
Eventual champions Mumbai City FC were quick to recognize his incredible attacking prowess. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the Islanders acquired the services of the Brazilian.
Although Diego Mauricio played second fiddle to the brilliant Igor Angulo, the Brazilian continued to impress even in the brief game times he had on the pitch. In seven appearances he had in the previous season, the former Flamengo striker bagged three goals.
However, in the AFC Champions League, he rose to the occasion in the absence of Angulo. In four games in the group stages, he scored two goals, in both the legs against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. Given Mumbai City FC were mostly on the back foot against these Asian heavyweights, Diego Maurico kept relentlessly running at the opposition defense and pressing from the front.
His workrate often allows him to create chances out of thin air, and when he does, the Brazilian isn't someone who is shy to pull the trigger. In his first full season in the ISL, he had 54 shots throughout the season and 21 of them were on target. Hence, he was having close to three shots on goal per 90.
Another crucial statistic that shows the amount of quality shots that Mauricio takes is the shot on target percentage. Out of the 54 shots he took in total, Mauricio hit the target with 39% of those attempts. These numbers clearly showcase not only his ability to get into scoring situations, but also his ability to carve out quality attempts from those situations.
Meanwhile, in the 2020-21 season, Angulo, who has been one of the most sought-after names in the league, has scored 13 goals from 19 appearances. The Spaniard was taking an identical 3.05 shots per game. Angulo's goal-per-shot ratio was a 0.21, while Mauricio had 0.20. Indistinguishable.
The Brazilian forward measures every step he takes on the pitch
The numbers show that at his best, Diego Mauricio is able to replicate numbers similar to someone like Igor Angulo. But the Brazilian has a lot more complexity to his game. Not only is he a quality goalscorer, he is also a tenacious worker and extremely judicious with his input.
Touted as Drogbinha, or Young Drogba, from an early age, Diego Mauricio has embodied a lot of the qualities of the Ivorian talisman. The Brazilian is smart with his movement near the opposition box and whenever he finds the ball, if a run is on, Mauricio will make it. This makes it extremely difficult for opposition defenders to mark. He can also combine well as he has shown previously.
If the likes of Jerry Mawihmingthanga and Michael Soosairaj can provide those runs, breaking the channels, Mauricio could act as the holding forward in these situations.
Moreover, there are very few in the league who are able to pick out the back of the net like Diego Mauricio. If he can continue providing those outlandish finishes, Odisha FC will more than happily provide him with all the services necessary.
