Roberto “Tito” Bonano was an Argentine goalie famed for being calm and cold-blooded between the sticks. He was a burly man and safe as houses in goal, who arrived aged 31 years from River Plate. He was part of the Barça squad for three seasons although he spent his last one, 2003-04, on loan to Murcia. In 2008 he hung up his gloves wearing the shirt of Deportivo Alavés.

Full biography:

From a very young age, he played in the Argentine league, first for Rosario Central, his home town club, and after at River Plate in Buenos Aires for five seasons. He didn’t move to Europe until he was 31 years old. Although Alavés were very interested in his services, Bonano could not refuse an offer from Barça. In the summer of 2001, with Rexach on the bench, he began his new adventure at the club. In his first season as a blaugrana he was regular starter for the team. The team narrowly missed out on the Champions League final and finished fourth in the league. The following season, 2002-03, he began to be challenged by a goalkeeper who’d end up being one of the best of all time. Víctor Valdés. Although the young Catalan keeper oozed talent, Bonano’s experience won through at first. However, in the following year with the arrival of Rijkaard, Valdés made his definitive breakthrough and Bonano finished up on loan to Murica. After one season he was signed by a club looking to make its mark on Europe, Alavés, the team where he played his final four years as a professional footballer. Bonano retired in 2008 at the age of 38.

13 international caps for Argentina