Leonel Bucca

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Leonel Bucca

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|3|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Esperanza, Argentina{{cite news|title=Leonel Bucca|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/leonel-bucca/|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=World Football}}

| height = 1.90 m{{cite news|title=Leonel Bucca, el pibe que va por el mismo camino de Mauricio Martínez|url=https://www.ellitoral.com/index.php/id_um/266494-leonel-bucca-el-pibe-que-va-por-el-mismo-camino-de-mauricio-martinez-el-enganche-al-que-el-vasco-puso-de-5-actualidad-tatengue.html|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=El Litoral|date=4 November 2020}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Estrela da Amadora

| clubnumber = 26

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = San Lorenzo Esperanza

| youthyears2 = 2016–2020

| youthclubs2 = Unión Santa Fe

| years1 = 2020–2022

| clubs1 = Unión Santa Fe

| caps1 = 7

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2021

| clubs2 = → Deportivo Riestra (loan)

| caps2 = 29

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2023

| clubs3 = San Martín Tucumán

| caps3 = 29

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2024–

| clubs4 = Estrela da Amadora

| caps4 = 35

| goals4 = 3

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 27 February 2025

| nationalteam-update =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Leonel Bucca (born 20 March 1999) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Estrela da Amadora.{{cite news|title=Argentina - L. Bucca|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/leonel-bucca/678690/|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Soccerway}}

Career

Bucca initially came through the ranks at the local side San Lorenzo Esperanza, before moving into the Unión Santa Fe youth system in 2016.{{cite news|title=El esperancino Leonel Bucca fue titular en Unión de Santa Fe, que empató con Arsenal|url=https://esperancino.com.ar/el-esperancino-leonel-bucca-fue-titular-en-union-de-santa-fe-que-empato-con-arsenal/|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Esperancino|date=1 November 2020}} In January 2020, Bucca was linked with a move to the United States with second tier team Loudoun United.{{cite news|title=Leonel Bucca deja la reserva de Unión para jugar en Estados Unidos|url=https://www.tycsports.com/superliga/leonel-bucca-deja-la-reserva-de-union-para-jugar-en-estados-unidos-20200129.html|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=TyC Sports|date=29 January 2020}}{{cite news|title=Unión pierde a una de sus figuras de la Reserva, que jugará en Estados Unidos|url=https://superdeportivo.elonce.com/notas/uninn-pierde-a-una-de-sus-figuras-de-la-reserva-que-jugarna-en-estados-unidos.htm|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=SuperDeportivo|date=29 January 2020}}{{cite news|title=Leonel Bucca deja la reserva de Unión para jugar en Estados Unidos|url=https://www.airedesantafe.com.ar/deportes/leonel-bucca-deja-la-reserva-union-jugar-estados-unidos-n143589|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Aire de Santa Fe|date=29 January 2020}} The move never materialised, with the midfielder later describing it as "nothing concrete".{{cite news|title=Bucca: Tengo ganas de llegar a Primera y triunfar en Unión|url=https://www.unosantafe.com.ar/union/bucca-tengo-ganas-llegar-primera-y-triunfar-union-n2597317.html|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Uno Santa Fe|date=15 July 2020}} He signed his first professional contract on 28 October 2020, which was followed by his senior debut in a draw at home to Arsenal de Sarandí on 1 November; he featured for seventy-five minutes.{{cite news|title=Lionel Bucca firmó su primer contrato con Unión de Santa Fe|url=https://www.esperanzadiaxdia.com.ar/lionel-bucca-firmo-su-primer-contrato-con-union-de-santa-fe/|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Esperanza día x día|date=29 October 2020}}{{cite news|title=Con Leonel Bucca en cancha Unión igualó con Arsenal en el inicio de la LPF|url=https://www.esperanzadiaxdia.com.ar/con-leonel-bucca-en-cancha-union-igualo-con-arsenal-en-el-inicio-de-la-lpf/|accessdate=5 November 2020|work=Esperanza día x día|date=1 November 2020}} He was sent off in his second appearance on 20 November against the same opponents.

After five total matches for Unión, Bucca was loaned to Primera Nacional with Deportivo Riestra on 10 February 2021.{{cite news|title=Peano y Bucca, afuera de Unión|url=https://www.sol915.com.ar/peano-bucca-afuera-union/|accessdate=11 February 2021|work=Radio SOL 91.5|date=10 February 2021}}

In December 2022, after his contract with Unión Santa Fe expired, Bucca dropped down to the Primera Nacional, joining San Martín de Tucumán.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-12-11 |title=Leonel Bucca continuará su carrera en San Martín de Tucumán |trans-title=Leonel Bucca will continue his career at San Martín de Tucumán |url=https://www.sol915.com.ar/leonel-bucca-continuara-su-carrera-en-san-martin-de-tucuman/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=Sol Play 91.5 |language=es-AR}} At the end of the 2023 season, his contract expired and he left the club.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-09 |title=San Martín: Leonel Bucca se despidió de los hinchas |trans-title=San Martín: Leonel Bucca said goodbye to the fans |url=https://www.lv12.com.ar/san-martin/san-martin-leonel-bucca-se-despidio-los-hinchas-n150497 |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=LV12 |language=es-AR}}

On 9 January 2024, Bucca moved to Portugal, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with Primeira Liga club Estrela da Amadora.{{Cite news |date=9 January 2024 |title=Estrela da Amadora oficializa médio Leonel Bucca como reforço |trans-title=Estrela da Amadora announces midfielder Leonel Bucca as reinforcement |url=https://www.ojogo.pt/7579000341/estrela-da-amadora-oficializa-medio-leonel-bucca-como-reforco/ |access-date=10 January 2024 |work=O Jogo |language=pt-pt}}

Personal life

On 22 November 2020, it was confirmed that Bucca had tested positive for COVID-19 amid the pandemic.{{cite news|title=Bucca, un nuevo positivo por coronavirus en Unión|url=https://www.tycsports.com/liga-profesional-de-futbol/bucca-un-nuevo-positivo-por-coronavirus-en-union-id304375.html|accessdate=11 February 2021|work=TyC Sports|date=22 November 2020}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|League cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3" \|Unión Santa Fe \|2020–21{{#tag:ref\|Soccerway counts Copa de la Liga Profesional appearances as league appearances.\|group="nb"}} \|rowspan="1"\|Primera División \|0	0	0	0	5	0	colspan="2" \|—	5	0
2022 \| rowspan="1" \|Primera División \|7 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|7 \|1 \|1{{Efn\|Appearance in Copa Sudamericana\|name=CSUD}} \|0 \|16 \|1
colspan="2" \|Total !7 !0 !1 !0 !12 !1 !1 !0 !21 !1
rowspan="1" \|Deportivo Riestra (loan) \|2021 \| rowspan="1" \|Primera Nacional \|29	1	0	0	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2" \|—	29	1
San Martín Tucumán \|2023 \| rowspan="1" \|Primera Nacional \|29 \|3 \|2 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|31 \|3
colspan="3" \|Career total !65	4	3	0	12	1	1	0	81	5