Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Cruzeiro.
Injury-affected season
Missed 4 of Cruzeiro's ~38 games this season through 4 injury absences (yellow cards, rest). He still appeared 32 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Serie A | 32 | 1 | 0 | 2892 | 7.16 |
 Copa Do Brasil | 6 | 1 | 0 | 503 | 7.2 |
 Mineiro - 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 240 | — |
 CONMEBOL Sudamericana | 3 | 0 | 0 | 166 | 6.83 |
Scout report
L. Villalba is a 31-year-old central defender at Cruzeiro, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 0 assists in 32 appearances, a Season grade of 59, top 1% of Serie A centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 39.5, ranking 221st of 413 in the Serie A. A seasoned veteran, he has been an ever-present (84.6% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.3 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Villalba.
Judged on this season alone, Villalba graded 59 — a standout campaign that ranks top 2% of the 68 centre-backs in the Serie A, on 14 clean sheets and 3.299 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 20 → 59). Over the 5 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 40, 37th of 68 of the 68 centre-backs in the Serie A. At 31 Villalba is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 14.1 reflects that trajectory.
Read the appearance count in context: Villalba missed 4 games through injury (yellow cards, rest) out of roughly 38 this season. The 32 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.
Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
Output in context · Cruzeiro finished 3rd of 20 · an upper-table side
3.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 14 clean sheets across 32 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (3rd of 20) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Strengths
- Availability. On the pitch for 84.6% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Watch points
- Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 39.5, Villalba carries the 37th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Serie A of 68. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Serie A with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Possession
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
