Name: Leonardo Nicolás Pisculichi

Nickname: "Piscu", "Golosina"



Country: Argentina
Club: Argentinos Jrs. | River Plate
Shirt Number: 15
Position: ★AMF, SS | SMF (optional)
Side: LF/BS
Age: 30-31 years (18/01/1984)

Height: 175 cm
Weight: 74 kg

Attack: 78
Defence: 39
Balance: 77
Stamina: 76
Top Speed: 73
Acceleration: 77
Response: 73
Agility: 82
Dribble Accuracy: 86
Dribble Speed: 76
Short Pass Accuracy: 82
Short Pass Speed: 79
Long Pass Accuracy: 85
Long Pass Speed: 83
Shot Accuracy: 78
Shot Power: 86
Shot Technique: 75
Free Kick Accuracy: 86
Swerve: 88
Heading: 63
Jump: 68
Technique: 86
Aggression: 78
Mentality: 70
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team work: 77

Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 4
Weak Foot Accuracy: 7
Weak Foot Frequency: 6
Consistency: 4
Growth type: Late/Peak

CARDS:
P09 - Cut Back Pass
P11 - Long Ranger
S05 - 1-Touch Play
S06 - Outside Curve
S15 - Shoulder Feint Skills
S18 - Turning Kills

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Dribbling - Tactical Dribble - Playmaking - Middle Shooting - 1-Touch Pass - Outside

Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack-Minded

INFO:
Leonardo Pisculichi is a retired Argentine footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Born in Rafael Castillo, Buenos Aires (01/18/1984), Piscu made his professional debut in 2002 for Argentinos Juniors, becoming one of the many young talents to achieve football stardom coming from that academy. In 2006, after four successful seasons and being considered one of the most promising young players in Argentine football, he was sold to RCD Mallorca, who at that time was struggling to avoid relegation in the Spanish La Liga. In January 2007, he signed with Al-Arabi in Qatar for $3.2 million. Despite playing a key role in Mallorca's survival in the last semester, the board decided to recoup the money from his transfer. He secured a lucrative contract that ensured his future and, in terms of sport, won the Emir of Qatar Cup in 2008, 2010, and 2011. He was also chosen as Qatar's best player in 2009. In July 2012, his move to Shandong Luneng in the Chinese top division was finalized. In December 2013, he returned to his beloved Argentinos Juniors with the challenging task of helping the club remain in the top division, which he couldn't achieve. In mid-2014, he transferred to River Plate, where he experienced the pinnacle of his football career, being a crucial part of the team that won the Copa Sudamericana in 2014 and the Copa Libertadores in 2015 (with goals and assists in both finals). In 2014, he was nominated as the third best footballer of the year in South America, behind his teammates Teófilo Gutiérrez and Carlos Sánchez. Many experts agreed that had he not played half the year at Argentinos Juniors, Pisculichi would have been the top candidate for the South American Player of the Year. After almost six months without playing football, in January 2017, it was confirmed he would be a new player for E.C. Vitória in Brazil. He ended his contract with the club after only six months and a few games played. Finally, in June of the same year, he returned for the third time to the club where he began his career, Argentinos Juniors, alongside other former academy stars like Lucas Barrios. Pisculichi ended his career in 2021 playing for Burgos C.F. in Spain, where he eventually settled.

A highly talented footballer who unfortunately spent his prime years playing in Qatar, he is considered by River Plate fans as one of the best (if not the best) players to have played under Gallardo's management. He had an impressive long-range shot, and excellent dribbling and ball control. He scored numerous goals from free kicks, one of his main assets, and was also an excellent provider from set pieces, both free kicks and corners (he assisted 2 goals from set pieces in the 2014 Copa Sudamericana final). He had good control with both feet; besides playing centrally, he occasionally shifted his play to the wings, being particularly prolific on both, using his left foot on the left to pass and to cut inside and shoot when on the right flank. Positionally, he had ease in finding space behind the opposing defensive midfielder, and while he wasn't a player who found spaces through movement, his dribbling was a sharp weapon to get past rival defenders and shoot whenever he saw the slightest opening. His long stay in the Arabian Peninsula prevented him from reaching the National Team despite the high expectations generated during his first stint with Argentinos Juniors and RCD Mallorca, and it almost prevented him from joining River Plate as well. However, he eventually showcased his quality, becoming a cult figure for the "millionaire" team and an idol for Argentinos Juniors.