Joao Aurelio

Joao Miguel Coimbra Aurelio (born 17 August 1988) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Cypriot club Pafos FC as a right back or a right midfielder.

He spent the vast majority of his career with Nacional, making 239 competitive appearances over eight seasons. He later represented Vitoria de Guimaraes and Moreirense, totalling 283 Primeira Liga games.

Club Career

Nacional

Born in Beja, Aurelio began his professional career with lower league club S.C. Penalva do Castelo. In the 2008–09 season, he moved straight into the Primeira Liga with Madeira's C.D. Nacional, managing ten league appearances in his first year and scoring in a 2–1 away win against C.F. Os Belenenses on 26 April 2009.

In the following campaign, Aurelio started impressively, netting against Sporting CP in the opener – although he also scored in his own net – and S.C. Olhanense, both 1–1 draws. Additionally, he also started and scored in the UEFA Europa League 4–3 home defeat of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg (eventual 5–4 aggregate win).

Aurelio continued to be an important first-team element in the following six top-division seasons, appearing in 149 matches and scoring in a 3–0 victory at Rio Ave F.C. on 28 September 2013. He also featured regularly as right back.

Vitoria Guimaraes

On 9 June 2016, Aurelio signed a two-year contract with Vitoria SC, where he had played youth football from ages 17 to 19. He played 62 total games for the team from Guimaraes, including four in their run to the final of the Taca de Portugal, but was unused in the decisive match that the team lost 2–1 to S.L. Benfica.

Aurelio started in a 1–3 defeat to the same opponent in the Supertaca Candido de Oliveira on 5 August 2017.

Moreirense

Having turned down the chance to play in Croatia for HNK Hajduk Split, Aurelio moved to Vitoria's neighbours Moreirense F.C. on a two-year deal on 20 June 2018. In his third appearance, on