He’s won the Johnny Warren Medal, scored 39 goals in 95 games and cemented his status as one of the Hyundai A-League’s greatest ever players.
And yet, in four seasons as Perth Glory’s brightest star, Diego Castro has only ever featured in three Finals Series matches.
That, thankfully, is about to change.
REPORT: Scintillating Glory send humbled Phoenix back to sixth
BEST XI: Who joins Diego Castro in the Team of the Week?
WATCH FOR FREE: How to watch the Hyundai A-League LIVE and FREE
The 36-year-old former La Liga player inked a new two-year deal with the Premiers during the week and is now ready to step into the post-season cauldron as a genuine game-breaker in sensational form.
Wellington Phoenix, a team that could cross paths with Perth in the next couple of weeks, were simply unable to live with Castro at HBF Park on Sunday.
He scored one, assisted another, hit the woodwork twice, made seven key passes and attempted nine shots in total, two more than the under-strength and overwhelmed visitors.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6030769470001
The kind of 5-0 clinic Glory put on in front of their own fans tends to be made possible by Castro’s class and it will be a joy to see him in full flight when it matters most.
Only once previously has he had the chance to appear in the second week of the Finals Series, which will be the club’s starting point on this occasion.
Tony Popovic’s men, with the Premiers Plate and Semi Final hosting rights secured, are clearly the team to beat.
Castro, undoubtedly, is the player to watch.
