As season nears, Sacramento Republic adds USL League One defender of the year

With the USL season starting next week, Sacramento Republic made another move Wednesday to bolster its roster by reaching a deal to get Damià Viader from Union Omaha.

Viader played in FC Barcelona and Girona FC’s youth development programs before coming to the U.S. to play with Union Omaha in 2020. Last season, he appeared in 30 games and led the team in minutes. He scored seven goals and added six assists; his 61 scoring chances created tied for first in the league. But he’s no one-trick midfielder. Viader had 61 interceptions, 67 tackles and 176 duels won to earn the USL League One Defender of the Year award, with 60 percent of the vote from league technical staff.

“Damià is a dynamic left-sided player, and over two seasons in Omaha, and was a dominant force in League One,” said Republic FC general manager Todd Dunivant. “He brings a championship pedigree with him and we look forward to integrating him into the squad.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 2:20 PM.