Player #855 for Aston Villa, Leandro Jones Johan Bacuna known as Leandro Bacuna played as a midfielder for the club in Villa’s 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 Premier League campaigns, with the latter ending in Villa’s first relegation from the top tier in nearly 30 years. Bacuna also appeared during Villa’s Football League Championship campaigns of 2016-17 and 2017-18. Bacuna made 131 appearances and scored 8 goals.

Bacuna was born in Groningen, Netherlands on 21 August 1991.

Paul Lambert had signed Bacuna from FC Groningen for £1,260,000 in July 2013 and whilst Bacuna was in no way as out of his depth at Villa as some of Lambert’s other signings he was an instructive exercise in how an occasionally wicked shot can disguise a multitude of sins for an otherwise average player.

Bacuna was a virtual ever present for Lambert in 2013-14, making 38 appearances in 41 games. Bacuna had made his Villa debut as an 88’ substitute for Andreas Weimann in Villa’s 3-1 win at Arsenal on the opening day of the season.

Bacuna would make his first start for the club two games later as Villa lost 0-1 to Liverpool at Villa Park on Saturday, 24 August 2013.

Bacuna, a versatile player, played at left back, left midfield, in a wing position and all shades between during his time with Villa and in so doing was a firm favourite of Lambert. Bacuna hit his first goal for Villa in the 3-2 win over Manchester City on Saturday, 28 September 2013 curling a superb free-kick over the wall and past a stranded Joe Hart. Earlier in the game Bacuna had played in Karim El Ahmadi to score Villa’s equaliser.

Bacuna would score again in the 2-0 win over Cardiff City on Saturday, 9 November 2013 and once again curled a free kick around the wall with the ‘keeper rooted to the spot. Villa hadn’t scored in four matches prior to Bacuna’s set piece in a run of form that was all too familiar under Lambert.

Despite playing in every game Bacuna wouldn’t score or create a goal for Villa until strikes in consecutive games on Wednesday, 29 January 2014 and Saturday, 1 February 2014, scoring with his shoulder to help Villa beat West Bromwich Albion 4-3 and nutmegging the Everton goalkeeper only to end up on the losing side.

Bacuna played a far less prominent role in 2014-15 under Lambert, playing just 9 times in 28 games, including 6 as a substitute before Lambert’s sacking in February 2015.

Reinstated to the team by caretaker managerial duo Scott Marshall & Andy Marshall for the 5th Round FA Cup tie with Leicester City on Saturday, 21 February 2015, Bacuna scored the opening goal to set up a 2-1 win. His first goal of the campaign.

With Tim Sherwood succeeding Lambert, Bacuna was fully reintegrated into the first team line up making 15 appearances of Sherwood’s 16 in charge that season. Bacuna had his most creative spell for Villa, creating five assists and helping Villa avoid relegation and reach the 2015 FA Cup final.

2015-16 saw interim manager Sherwood surprisingly kept in post and with a major, though disjointed overhaul of the squad having taken place in the close season, Bacuna was still given a prominent role in this most insipid of Villa squads.

Both Sherwood and his successor after just 12 games, Rémi Garde, continued to play Bacuna despite the abject nature of his performances as Villa plummeted to relegation. Bacuna scored just once in 35 appearances with Villa all but relegated.

Rémi Garde would depart his position soon after, and it was more than a little surprise when news of his departure vied for attention with one of the most infamous proclamations from a Villa player with Bacuna claiming “That would just be Ajax or PSV, I think. They play Champions League football almost every year” when asked where he saw himself the following season.

Bacuna however would still be with Villa in 2016-17 much to the chagrin of many, playing under both Roberto Di Matteo and his successor Steve Bruce. Bacuna would make 31 appearances, and contributed two assists and one goal as Villa struggled to adapt to life in the second tier and rid themselves of the stench of failure of the previous seasons.

Bacuna’s only other ‘contribution’ was a red card for a needlessly aggressive chest bump on a linesman. As Bruce reminded everyone at the time “But with Leo it is all about himself.”

Bacuna would also start 2017-18 with Villa, making a single appearance on Saturday, 5 August 2017 in the 1-1 Championship draw with Hull City, before moving on to Reading in August 2017 for a fee of £1,350,000 aged 25.

A Champions League footballer in his own mind, you have to admire the chutzpah, last seen in Cardiff.

Bacuna had played under Paul Lambert, Scott Marshall & Andy Marshall, Tim Sherwood, Rémi Garde, Eric Black and Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Bruce.