Back in the summer of 2021, Leeds fans suffered serious heartache as they waved goodbye to the likes of Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi.
Ezgjan Alioski also departed, in what was a significant summer at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa.
While Hernandez and Alioski found new sides almost immediately, it took Berardi until January to find a new home at FC Sion, where he signed a six-month deal.
That has now ended, and after the Swiss side decided not to keep the 33-year-old, he has finally found a new challenge to get stuck into.
What’s the story?
Well, Berardi was playing in the Swiss Super League with FC Sion, but he has now decided to take a step down into the Swiss Challenge League – the nation’s second division – to play for AC Bellinzona.
AC Bellinzona have only just been promoted from the third tier, so it is an interesting challenge for the man who made 157 appearances for Leeds.
Berardi only managed to make nine appearances during his brief stint at FC Sion, so hopefully, he can have a bigger impact with AC Bellinzona, and help them achieve back-to-back promotions.
Gaetano Berardi is a Leeds icon
It speaks volumes about Berardi’s character that Leeds actually handed him a one-year contract ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, despite the fact they knew he would miss most of it through injury.
Leeds simply wanted to protect one of their own during a tough time, so he clearly made a big impact on everybody at Elland Road during his seven years in Yorkshire.
That is why it’s so pleasing to see Berardi settle down at AC Bellinzona, as he deserves a place he can call home again, just like his time at Elland Road.
Hopefully, the Switzerland international can find success with the Swiss Challenge League side, and help them reach the Swiss Super League in 2023.
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