André Luiz Bahia dos Santos Viana (born 24 November 1983) is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.
Early life André Bahia was born and raised in the Tijuca area of Rio de Janeiro. He has four brothers from his father's side from a previous marriage and one sister. His father was a professional boxer in one of the lightest classes available. He was a six time Rio State champion.
Club career
Flamengo Bahia started his football career at the Escolinha Júlio César, a football school run by the former Flamengo player. After daily visiting the escolinha for two years he was asked to do a trial at Flamengo Categories of Base in 1994. Bahia joined Flamengo, where he initially played as a left-winger before switching to left-back position before playing in the central defense. It was the central defence position that meant his breakthrough in professional football.
In the 2001 season, he made his professional debut for Flamengo, where he started the whole game, in a 2–1 loss against Santa Cruz on 2 September 2001. After this, he received a handful of first team appearances throughout September by Manager Mário Zagallo. On 10 October 2001, Bahia scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Botafogo. At the end of the 2001 season, Bahia went on to make ten appearances and scoring once for the side in all competitions.
In the 2002 season, Bahia became a first team regular after Manager Lula Pereira gave him more playing time. After the sacking of Pereira, Bahia continued to remain in the first team under the new management of Evaristo de Macedo. At the end of the 2002 season, he went on to make 24 appearances in all competitions.
In the 2003 season, Bahia continued to be in the first team by new manager Oswaldo de Oliveira. On 30 March 2003, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Coritiba. Bahia then spent the rest of the year, establishing himself in the centre–back position for the side. At the end of the 2003 season, he went on to make 35 appearances and scoring once in all competitions. By November, the club began negotiating with Bahia over a new contract.
Ahead of the 2004 season, Bahia was expected to leave Flamengo, having grown impatient with delays of negotiations. He was sent on loan to Palmeiras for 1.5 months, but returned to his parent club early. It was reported that Bahia was angry with Palmeiras over not playing any games with the team. With his return at Flamengo after the loan period things improved and he fought himself back into the team. On 2 September 2004, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–0 win over Vitória. However, after returning to Brazil following his signing for Feyenoord, Bahia was disciplined for "a breach of contract" and as punishment, he was told to train just with the fitness coach for several weeks. He was only allowed back into the team when they ran out of central defenders due to injuries and suspensions. Despite this, Flamengo fans had Bahia's backing, even facing his darker days at the club. In the last game of the season against Cruzeiro, Bahia scored a brace for the side, as they beat Cruzeiro 6–2 to avoid relegation in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. At the end of the 2004 season, he went on to make 35 appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Feyenoord
It was announced on 27 October 2004 that Bahia moved to Netherlands, joining Eredivisie side Feyenoord until the end of the 2004–05 season, and joined the team on 1 January 2005. It came after when he went on the trial with the club two days when he was scouted by the club's director Mark Wotte. Upon joining the club, Bahia was given a number four shirt for the side, Three years after signing for the club, Feyenoord was ordered by Court of Arbitration for Sport to pay Flamengo 67,000 euros.
After the first two months at the club's reserves, Bahia made his Feyenoord debut, where he started the whole game, in a 4–1 win over Roda JC on 18 March 2005. Bahia then scored his first goal for the club on 13 April 2005, in a 4–1 loss against Den Bosch. A week later on 24 April 2005, he scored again, in a 2–0 win over FC Groningen. Two days later, he signed a two–year contract with the club, keeping him until 2007, and it was confirmed on 11 May 2005. Despite losing his first team place, Bahia played five matches and scoring twice during the second half of the 2004–05 season.
In the 2005–06 season, Bahia became a first team regular for the side under the management of Erwin Koeman and formed a centre–back partnership with Serginho Greene. Bahia made his UEFA Cup debut against Rapid București in the first leg of the tournament and started the whole game, in a 1–1 draw on 15 September 2005. Three days later on 18 September 2005, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 5–1 win over Heerenveen. However in the return leg, Bahia started the whole game, as Feyenoord lost 1–0, resulting in the club's elimination in the UEFA Cup. Two months later, on 20 November 2005, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 3–2 win over Roda JC. On 15 January 2006, Bahia scored his third goal of the season, in a 1–0 win over Vitesse. Along with new signing Ron Vlaar, they helped Feyenoord keep a clean sheet in the next two matches against Roda JC and Heracles Almelo. This proved to have worked, as they formed a centre–back partnership with for the rest of the 2005–06 season. Throughout the season, Bahia played every league match until he was sent–off for a second bookable offence, in a 1–0 loss against rivals’ Ajax in the first leg of the play-offs round. As a result, Bahia missed one match, as the club went on to lose 7–2 on aggregate. Despite the loss, his contributions at Feyenoord saw the club qualify for the UEFA Cup next season. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he went on to make thirty–seven appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.
In the 2006–07 season, Bahia continued to remain in the first team, starting out in the first six matches of the season. His first goal of the season came on 21 September 2006 against SC Veendam in the third round of the KNVB Cup, which saw Feyenoord win 3–2. However, he suffered a concussion during a match against Excelsior on 24 September 2006 after colliding with Serginho Greene that saw him substituted in the 32nd minute and was sidelined for three weeks. But Bahia made his first team return from injury against Basel in the UEFA Cup match on 19 October 2006, starting the whole game, in a 1–1 draw. Two weeks later on 5 November 2006, he scored his first league goal of the season, in a 2–1 win over Vitesse. During a 3–0 loss against AS Nancy on 30 November 2006, Bahia was at fault when he scored an own goal; and eventually, Feyenoord were banned from European competition following hooliganism prior to and during the match against them. On 30 December 2006, he signed a new contract with the club, keeping him until 2009. Following his return from injury, Bahia continued to establish himself in the first team, rotating in playing either playing at centre–back and left–back positions. His third goal of the season came on 28 January 2007, scoring in a 3–1 win over RKC Waalwijk. Despite missing two more matches later in the 2006–07 season, he went on to make thirty–six appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
In the 2007–08 season, Bahia found himself behind the pecking order in the first team after losing place to Kevin Hofland, who was signed from VfL Wolfsburg and Vlaar who formed a partnership in centre defence. However, due to the injury of Vlaar, Bahia returned to the starting line-up for Feyenoord and formed a centre-back partnership with either Theo Lucius, Hofland and Greene. He then helped the club keep four consecutive clean sheets between 26 September 2007 and 20 October 2007. Bahia, once again, helped Feyenoord keep four consecutive clean sheets between 2 December 2007 and 26 December 2007. On 30 January 2008, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against AZ Alkmaar. Bahia also added two more goals later in the season, scoring against Heracles Almelo and Willem II. He was involved in the squad for the final of KNVB Cup, as Feyenoord were champions by beating Roda JC 2–0, therefore qualified for the UEFA Cup next season. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Bahia went on to make thirty–four appearances and scored three times in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Bahia's performances from last season sparked interests of Portuguese side Porto, who were keen on signing him. The transfer speculation ended when De Teelgraaf reported and Feyenoord's website that he signed a contract with the club, keeping him until 2012. On 19 November 2018, the contract extension was officially confirmed. He scored Feyenoord's first goal of the 2008–09 season, scoring from a header, in a 3–1 loss against Heracles Almelo. A month later on 28 September 2008, Bahia scored his second goal of the season, in a 3–1 loss against FC Groningen. Since the start of the 2008–09 season, he continued to regain his first team place for Feyenoord, forming a centre–back partnership with either Hofland and Lucius. Bahia played in both legs of the play-offs round against NAC Breda, as the club lost 7–2 on aggaragate. However, he found himself sidelined on three occasions, due to injury, compassionate leave and suspension. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Bahia went on to make 42 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
In the 2009–10 season, Bahia started the season well when he helped Feyenoord keep four clean sheets in a row. Bahia continued to remain in the first team for the side, where he formed a central partnership with the returning Vlaar and Hofland. Bahia then scored his first goal of the season against Sparta Rotterdam in a 2–1 loss on 18 October 2009. Nine days later, on 27 October 2009, he scored again in the third round of the KNVB Cup, in a 2–0 win over Den Bosch. On 28 February 2010, Bahia scored his second goal of the season, in a 3–2 win over FC Groningen. He then set up a goal for veteran striker Roy Makaay to score a winner against Vitesse in a 2–1 win on 31 March 2010. In the last game of the season against SC Heerenveen, Bahia scored his fourth goal of the season, in a 6–2 win. Bahia then played in both legs of KNVB Cup Final against rivals' Ajax, as Feyenoord lost 6–1 on aggregate. Despite missing out three matches during the 2009–10 season, Bahia went on to make thirty–eight appearances and scoring four times in all competitions.