I was a Premier League player who was arrested for cockfighting, now I’m back playing after retiring ten years ago

A former Barcelona and Middlesbrough midfielder has made a shock return to football six years after being arrested for taking part in cockfighting.

Brazilian amateur club Guarani de Xaxim, which plays in the regional Santa Catarina championship, confirmed the signing of Fabio Rochemback on a short-term deal.

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The 43-year-old last played football for Brazilian amateur team Ipiranga in 2014.

However, Roschbach is best known for his stint at the LaLiga giants barcelona and former Premier League side middlesbrough,

The Brazilian moved to the Spanish giants in July 2001 and made 68 appearances where he played alongside players such as World Cup winner Xavi, Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta.

Roschbach’s tenure in the Catalan capital lasted two seasons as he was sent on loan to Portuguese club Sporting, where he helped them finish as runners-up in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup.

The seven-time Brazilian international moved to Middlesbrough on 31 August 2005 after impressing then Boro boss Steve McLaren.

Roschbach spent three seasons on Teesside, as Boro finished 14th, 12th and 13th in the Premier League.

However, he played a key role in the club’s spectacular victory in the UEFA Cup Final in 2006, starting the showpiece final which Boro lost 4–0.

Rochembach ultimately made 91 appearances for Middlesbrough in all competitions before moving back to Sporting in May 2008.

This followed stints at Brazilian team Grêmio and Chinese Super League team Dalian Aerbin before returning home once again for a final spell at Ipiranga.

Rochembach made headlines in 2017 when he was arrested in Palmeiras das Misos for participating in a cockfighting ring.

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Local police raided a fight held on a farm on the night of the fight, seizing 89 cocks and £75,000 in cash, while 57 of the 147 attendees were arrested.

Roschbach’s father, Juarez, protested his son’s innocence and claimed he was not at the scene during the raid, instead saying the former Middlesbrough man was at the family farm.

All forms of animal fighting are classified as environmental crimes in Brazil.

Roschenbach has previously violated the law regarding cockfighting when police found cockfighting on his farm in Rio Grande do Sul in 2011.