Brazil midfielder Michel Bastos, who has been signed to patch up Schalke's Bundesliga form and carry their Champions League hopes, has seen his career plagued by tragedy.
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The defensive midfielder, who has joined on loan from Lyon in France, played every game of Brazil's 2010 World Cup campaign at left-back, but no longer features for the Selecao.
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Bastos was reported to have been approached by Napoli, Spartak Moscow and Olympiakos having wanted to leave Lyon after his wife and 5-year-old son were the victims of an armed robbery at their home in 2012.
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The player, who first came to Europe as an 18-year-old when he joined Feyenoord in 2001, trained with Schalke for the first time on Wednesday and could make his debut on Saturday at home to bottom side Greuther Fuerth.
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'' They are a big club with big ambitions, i jumped at the chance when i heard Schalke were interested in me ''.