Bruno Alexandre Marques Pereirinha (born 2 March 1988) is a Portuguese former footballer. He played mainly as a right midfielder, also being able to operate as an attacking right-back.
He spent most of his professional career with Sporting CP, appearing in 145 official matches over five seasons (six goals scored) and winning three major titles, including two Taça de Portugal. Abroad, he had spells at Lazio in Italy and Athletico Paranaense of Brazil.
All youth levels comprised, Pereirinha won 53 caps for Portugal, including 23 for the under-21s.
On 13 March 2008, in the campaign's UEFA Cup round-of-16 second leg against Bolton Wanderers, Pereirinha scored an 85th-minute goal that gave Sporting a 1–0 home win and a spot in the quarter-finals.[5] He had also netted in the previous round, in the 3–0 away victory over FC Basel.[6]
Pereirinha continued to be regularly used the following years, but almost exclusively from the bench. On 21 March 2009, in a rare start, he opened the score against Lisbon neighbours S.L. Benfica in the final of the Taça da Liga, but the Lions eventually lost on penalties after 1–1 in regulation time.[7]
In 2012–13, Pereirinha was completely ostracised by all four Sporting managers – as several other Portuguese players – also being demoted to the B team in division two and dealing with a right knee injury.[9] Subsequently, he cut ties with the club and signed shortly after with SS Lazio in Italy for three and a half years.[10]
Pereirinha left the Romans on 15 July 2015, after buying out his contract.[11]
Atlético Paranaense
On 15 July 2015, Pereirinha signed a two-year deal with Club Athletico Paranaense.[12] He made his debut ten days later, as a 76th-minute substitute for Eduardo in a 2–1 Série A win at Avaí FC. On 15 October, after only one minute on the pitch, he scored his first goal for his new team to put them back ahead in an eventual 2–2 draw against Cruzeiro Esporte Clube at the Arena da Baixada.[13]
Return to Portugal
In July 2017, Pereirinha returned to his country's top flight with a one-year contract at C.F. Os Belenenses, managed by Domingos Paciência, his last boss at Sporting.[14] He played about half of their league games, split equally as a starter and substitute, and was sent off in the first half of the last one, a 1–0 loss at Boavista FC.[15]