Marcelino Careaso holds one of the priciest contracts in Apollon’s history, not just this season but overall. He was the last player signed by the Limassol team during the summer transfer window. It was clear that the Colombian midfielder needed some time to get fully ready to play.
Now, the first round of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan is over, and he has barely played. It’s hard to judge his football value, even though he is well-paid and was brought in to boost the midfield.
So far, he has appeared in four games, all as a substitute. In two other matches, he sat on the bench but didn’t get to play.
His total playing time in the league is just over one half, specifically only 47 minutes!
If we include the 14 minutes in the cup, where he came on as a substitute in the 76th minute during an away win against MEAP with a score of 5-1, his total is 61 minutes.
This means each minute he plays costs close to or even more than €5,000!
If finances are a concern, there’s another big issue: he hasn’t been able to stabilize his condition or shake off his injuries. Because of this, his name has stayed on Apollon’s absentee list for 2-3 months now.
How can anyone feel hopeful that things will change and that he will at least partly justify his contract?
