Lucas Covolan
Personal information
Full name Lucas Covolan Cavagnari[1]
Date of birth (1991-06-06) 6 June 1991 (age 32)[2]
Place of birth Curitiba, Brazil[1]
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Maidstone United
Number 1
Youth career
2007–2009 Trieste
2009–2012 Vasco da Gama
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Atlético Paranaense 0 (0)
2013 → Esportivo (loan) 0 (0)
2014 Toledo 0 (0)
2014 Rio Branco-AC 7 (0)
2014–2015 Atlético Rafal 23 (0)
2015–2016 Alaró 35 (0)
2016–2017 Whitehawk 23 (0)
2016 → Lewes (loan) 5 (0)
2017–2019 Worthing 59 (0)
2019–2021 Torquay United 49 (0)
2021–2023 Port Vale 21 (0)
2022–2023 → Chesterfield (loan) 13 (0)
2023– Maidstone United 29 (0)
International career
2010 Brazil U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:25, 26 January 2024 (UTC)

Lucas Covolan Cavagnari (born 6 June 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League South club Maidstone United.

A Brazil under-20 international, he began his career with Trieste, before turning professional at Vasco da Gama. He later had spells with Atlético Paranaense, Esportivo, Toledo and Rio Branco, winning a Campeonato Acreano title with Rio Branco in 2014. He then spent two years in Spain with Atlético Rafal and Alaró, before joining English club Whitehawk in 2016. He had a loan spell with Lewes and spent two seasons with Worthing, before earning a move to Torquay United in May 2019. He scored a goal in the 2021 National League play-off final, which Torquay lost, before signing with English Football League club Port Vale in June 2021. He helped the club to win promotion out of League Two via the play-offs in 2022. He returned to the National League on a season-long loan with Chesterfield in July 2022. He signed with Maidstone United in August 2023.

Early and personal life

Born in Curitiba,[3] Covolan grew up supporting hometown club Atlético Paranaense.[4] He has an Italian passport.[5]

Club career

Brazil

Covolan spent his early career in his native Brazil with Trieste. He was scouted by Vasco da Gama and signed a professional contract at Vasco at the age of 17 after impressing on a two-week trial.[6] He acted as the practice goalkeeper for Juninho Pernambucano's free kick training sessions, later recalling that such was the player's ability that "I was basically just a cone".[7] He returned from Rio de Janeiro after three years to sign with boyhood club Atlético Paranaense.[6] He later recalled that Atlético had eight goalkeepers on their books and that he realised halfway into his three-year contract that he would never play a first-team game for the club.[8] He tried to gain experience of senior football by leaving on loan, but was injured in a warm-up exercise and sidelined for four months.[6]

Covolan went on to feature in four match day squads as an unused substitute for Esportivo Bento Gonçalves, before joining Toledo in December 2013[9][8][10] and then Rio Branco in March 2014.[11] He helped Rio Branco to win the Campeonato Acreano (Acre state league) in 2014 following a penalty shoot-out victory over Atlético Acreano,[1][8][12] but was one of the three players released by the club on 7 May 2014.[13]

Spain

Covolan moved to Spain later in 2014 and joined Tercera División team Atlético Rafal. He switched to fellow Mallorcan side Alaró the next year, making 35 appearances. He left the club following the death of head coach Julián Ronda.[7] He spent three months on trial at Mallorca, but was deemed to be too old at the age of 24.[6]

English non-League

In 2016 he was approached by an agent to play for English National League South club Whitehawk, who were managed by the Argentinian Pablo Asensio.[8][14] He made 23 league appearances for Whitehawk,[1] and also spent a month on loan with Lewes,[15] before signing for Isthmian League Premier Division side Worthing after a pre-season trial.[9] He was named Supporters Player of the Year by Worthing's "Away Boys Fanatics" in the 2017–18 season and had trials at Aldershot Town, Luton Town and Stevenage.[10][16] He broke his arm during a win at Moneyfields in the FA Cup on 6 October 2018.[17][18]

Torquay United

He moved to Torquay United in May 2019 after impressing manager Gary Johnson on trial.[19][20][3] He competed with Shaun MacDonald for a place in the first-team, but had to wait for his opportunity after picking up an injury in pre-season, making his first-team debut in a 2–1 win at Dover Athletic on 17 August.[3] Covolan would play 25 league games in the 2019–20 season, with MacDonald playing the remaining 11 league matches in a season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][21][22] He featured 26 times in the 2020–21 campaign, whilst MacDonald played 19 league games, as Torquay qualified for the play-offs with a second-place finish.[1][21] On 20 June 2021, he scored an injury-time equaliser against Hartlepool United in the National League play-off final, which Torquay eventually lost on penalties, despite two saves from Covolan.[23] His goal earned him comparisons to compatriot Alisson, a goalkeeper who had scored a headed goal for Liverpool earlier in the year; the pair had actually played against each other some years earlier in a tournament for under-23 players when Atlético Paranaense came up against Internacional.[24]

Port Vale

On 23 June 2021, he signed a two-year contract with League Two side Port Vale; manager Darrell Clarke said that "he is hungry to prove he’s a league-level player and we feel he has all the attributes to succeed at this level".[25][26] However, the move would turn out to be the "lowest point" of his career as he struggled to handle the pressure of league football and suffered with depression as a result.[7] Having already been shown a red card in a pre-season friendly, he was sent off on his English Football League debut after rushing off his goal-line to trip Nicke Kabamba during a 1–0 defeat at Northampton Town on 7 August.[27][28] He returned after a serving a one match suspension and kept four clean sheets in his next seven games, saying that "you learn from every mistake and that is what makes you stronger".[29] He was criticised by Clarke for an error during a win over Barrow on 16 October, but responded by saving a penalty in a 1–1 draw with Mansfield Town three days later.[30] On 15 January 2022, he was sent off for kicking out at Swindon Town's Harry McKirdy after the pair jumped for a high ball moments before half-time during what would finish as a 3–1 home defeat; a furious Clarke said after the match that "he has got to learn from that otherwise he won’t be staying at the club for very long".[31] Covolan, who was suspended for four games for the incident, was supported by captain Tom Conlon, who said "he's one of us, he is a big part of the squad, the boys love him to bits".[32] He was an unused substitute as Vale secured promotion out of the play-offs with victory over Mansfield Town in the final at Wembley Stadium.[33] He played 22 games in the 2021–22 season, keeping seven clean sheets.[34] David Flitcroft, the club's director of football, confirmed that the player's contract would not be renewed beyond June 2023.[35]

Chesterfield (loan)

On 5 July 2022, Covolan returned to the National League to join Chesterfield on a season-long loan deal.[36] On 6 August, he made his debut for the Spireites in a 2–2 draw with Dorking Wanderers, receiving a red card after 28 minutes for an "off the ball incident".[37] Manager Paul Cook had stern words for Covolan after the match, saying that "it is something that Lucas will learn from quickly [and] if he doesn’t learn quickly he won't be at the club, it is that simple".[38] Covolan was returned to the starting eleven after Ross Fitzsimons stood in during his suspension, and by September was linked with a permanent move to Chesterfield.[39] However, after making eight further starts he was sidelined with an ankle injury, whilst during Covolan's absence Fitzsimons was praised for his good form.[40] He was not named in the 2023 National League play-off final matchday squad for the defeat to Notts County.[41]

Maidstone United

On 4 August 2023, with less than 24-hours until the start of the 2023–24 season, Covolan signed with newly-relegated National League South club Maidstone United.[42] Maidstone defeated EFL clubs Barrow and Stevenage to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they then knocked out Championship side Ipswich Town 2–1 at Portman Road, with Covolan named as man of the match having made a "string of saves" to help pull off the upset.[43]

International career

Covolan spent time with the Brazil under-20 national team, winning two caps in 2010.[8][14]

Style of play

He has been described as an aggressive goalkeeper who helps the team defend with a high line, though has a tendency to be caught in possession.[44]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League State League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Esportivo 2013[1] Gaúcho — 0 0 — — — 0 0
Rio Branco-AC 2014[45] Série D 0 0 7 0 1 0 — — 8 0
Atlético Rafal 2014–15[46] Tercera División 23 0 — — — — 23 0
Alaró 2015–16[47] Tercera División 35 0 — — — — 35 0
Whitehawk 2016–17[1] National League South 23 0 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 0
Lewes (loan) 2016–17[48] Isthmian League Division One South 5 0 — 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 6 0
Worthing 2017–18[49] Isthmian League Premier Division 44 0 — 1 0 0 0 2[a] 0 47 0
2018–19[50] Isthmian League Premier Division 15 0 — 3 0 1 0 0 0 19 0
Total 59 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 2 0 66 0
Torquay United 2019–20[1] National League 25 0 — 1 0 — 1[a] 0 27 0
2020–21[1] National League 24 0 — 1 0 — 3[b] 1 28 1
Total 49 0 — 2 0 0 0 4 1 55 1
Port Vale 2021–22[51] League Two 21 0 — 1 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
Chesterfield (loan) 2022–23[1] National League 13 0 — 1 0 — 1[a] 0 15 0
Maidstone United 2023–24[1] National League South 29 0 5 0 0 0 — 2[a] 0 36 0
Career total 257 0 13 0 8 0 1 0 10 1 289 1
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.
  2. ^ 1 appearance in the FA Trophy and 2 appearances and 1 goal in the play-offs

Honours

Rio Branco

Port Vale

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Lucas Covolan at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Lucas Covolan - Goalkeeper - First Team - Port Vale". www.port-vale.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Lucas Is United's Samba Star!". Torquay United. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. ^ "First & Best... With Lucas Covolan Cavagnari". Torquay United. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. ^ Thomas, David; James, Stuart (28 May 2019). "Torquay United complete first signing of the summer". DevonLive. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d Smith, Louis (11 April 2020). "The Journey Of Lucas Covolan: From Parana To Plainmoor". World Football Index. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Butler, Michael (1 December 2023). "Maidstone's Lucas Covolan: 'Playing for Brazil's under-20s was a dream come true'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Lucas Covolan: Torquay United's Brazilian goalkeeper 'living the dream' at Plainmoor". BBC Sport. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Rebels Sign Brazilian Keeper After Successful Trial". Pitchero Non-League. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Lucas Cavagnari". worthingfc.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Rio Branco contrata goleiro ex-Vasco; jogador se apresenta nesta quinta" [Rio Branco sign former Vasco goalkeeper; player presents himself this Thursday] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  12. ^ Branco, Por GloboEsporte comRio. "Rio Branco bate Atlético-AC nos pênaltis e conquista Acreano 2014". globoesporte.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Rio Branco dispensa três jogadores: "Abrir espaço para outros", diz diretor" [Rio Branco release three players: "Open space for other ones", says director] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  14. ^ a b Owen, Brian (11 November 2017). "Covolan played with Coutinho and the national team - but the Worthing keeper is in no rush to return to Brazil". The Argus. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Hawks bring in keeper Flitney". Non League Daily. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Brazil-iant News As Covolan Commits". worthingfc.com. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Injury Update | Lucas Covolan". worthingfc.com. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Hard Fall For Worthing Stopper". worthingfc.com. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Lucas Covolan Cavagnari Signs For United". 28 May 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Torquay sign Brazilian keeper Cavagnari". Non League Daily. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  21. ^ a b Lucas Covolan at Soccerway
  22. ^ "Barrow promoted after National League vote". BBC Sport. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Torquay stopper Lucas Covolan joins list of keepers to score dramatic goals". The Independent. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  24. ^ Pilnick, Brent (20 June 2021). "Hartlepool seal dramatic EFL return". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Lucas Covolan: Port Vale sign goalkeeper who scored for Torquay in play-off final". BBC Sport. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  26. ^ Baggaley, Michael (23 June 2021). "Port Vale sign Lucas Covolan". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  27. ^ Baggaley, Michael (7 August 2021). "Darrell Clarke's verdict on Port Vale's defeat at Northampton". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Northampton Town 1-0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  29. ^ Baggaley, Michael (23 September 2021). "Lucas Covolan talks Port Vale and Brazil flag in the Bycars End". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  30. ^ Baggaley, Michael (21 October 2021). "'I asked a question' - Darrell Clarke's praise for Port Vale star". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  31. ^ Baggaley, Michael (15 January 2022). "Port Vale boss Clarke's message to Covolan after Swindon defeat". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  32. ^ Baggaley, Michael (17 January 2022). "Tom Conlon issues message about Port Vale team mate Lucas Covolan". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  33. ^ a b Aloia, Andrew (28 May 2022). "Vale beat 10-man Mansfield to reach League One". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  34. ^ "Lucas Covolan makes loan move to Chesterfield FC". Port Vale F.C. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  35. ^ "Port Vale FC Confirm 2022/23 Retained List". www.port-vale.co.uk. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  36. ^ "Brazilian keeper joins Spireites". chesterfield-fc.co.uk. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  37. ^ "Dorking Wanderers 2-2 Chesterfield". BBC Sport. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  38. ^ Norcliffe, Liam (6 August 2022). "Frustrated Cook tells Covolan 'he must learn' after red card and slams referee's decision as 'joke'". Derbyshire Times. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  39. ^ Norcliffe, Liam (27 September 2022). "Lucas Covolan open to joining Chesterfield on permanent basis from Port Vale". Derbyshire Times. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  40. ^ Norcliffe, Liam (16 November 2022). "Ross or Lucas? Who comes on top in stats? Chesterfield's keeper conundrum". Derbyshire Times. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  41. ^ Aloia, Andrew (13 May 2023). "Notts clinch promotion to EFL with shootout win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  42. ^ "Catch of the day as Covolan signs for the Stones". Maidstone United FC. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  43. ^ Sessions, George (28 January 2024). "Maidstone goalkeeper Lucas Covolan eyes Championship move after FA Cup heroics". The Independent. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  44. ^ Baggaley, Michael (2 September 2021). "Port Vale fans' forum recap with Darrell Clarke and Carol Shanahan". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  45. ^ "Goleiro ex-Rio Branco-AC marca gol pela 1ª vez na carreira; relembre passagem dele no Acre" [Former Rio Branco-AC goalkeeper scores for the 1st time in career; remember his stint in Acre] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  46. ^ "CAVAGNARI, LUCAS" (in Spanish). Balearic Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  47. ^ "CAVAGNARI, LUCAS" (in Spanish). Balearic Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  48. ^ "Lewes | Appearances | Lucas Covolan | 2016-2017 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  49. ^ "Worthing | Appearances | Lucas Cavagnari | 2017-2018 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  50. ^ "Worthing | Appearances | Lucas Cavagnari | 2018-2019 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  51. ^ "Games played by Lucas Covolan in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
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