Luca Antonini

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Luca Antonini
File:Luca Antonini.jpg
Antonini in 2008
Personal information
Full name Luca Antonini
Date of birth (1982-08-04) 4 August 1982 (age 41)
Place of birth Milan, Italy
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Full back
Team information
Current team
 Livorno
(on loan from Ascoli)
Number 23
Youth career
1990–2001 Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Milan 0 (0)
2001–2002 → Prato (loan) 26 (3)
2002–2003 → Ancona (loan) 17 (1)
2003–2007 Sampdoria 3 (0)
2004–2005 → Modena (loan) 15 (1)
2005 → Pescara (loan) 22 (3)
2005–2006 → Arezzo (loan) 39 (3)
2006–2007 → Siena (loan) 32 (3)
2007–2008 Empoli 32 (0)
2008–2013 Milan 81 (1)
2013–2015 Genoa 33 (3)
2015 Ascoli 14 (1)
2016 → Livorno (loan) 1 (0)
International career
1999 Italy U-17 1 (0)
2000–2001 Italy U-18 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 September 2015

Luca Antonini (born 4 August 1982) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie B club Livorno, on loan from Ascoli. He is a fullback who is equally proficient on either flank.

Club career

Early career

Antonini started his career at Milan, originally as a winger, playing for 11 years in their youth teams.[1] At the start of the 2001–02 season, he was loaned out to Serie C2 side Prato, where he made his professional debut, totalling 26 appearances and scoring 3 goals.[2] The following year, he made 17 appearances and scored one goal in his first Serie B season, during a loan spell at Ancona.[2] The team got promoted to Serie A and Antonini's contribution was significant, as he became a regular in the second half of the season.[3]

Sampdoria (2003–2004)

In June 2003 he moved to Sampdoria in a co-ownership deal with the Rossoneri,[4] for €2 million. In exchange, Ikechukwu Kalu moved to Milan in co-ownership deal for €1 million.[5] He did not get much playing time, as he served mainly as a backup winger for Gasbarroni. However, he made his Serie A debut on 14 December, in an away match against Perugia.[2]

Various loan spells (2004–2007)

The following season he returned to play in Serie B, being first loaned out to Modena and then switching, during the January transfer window, to Pescara. Still seeking for more playing time, for the 2005–06 season he moved to Arezzo on another loan spell, where he finally managed to play regularly throughout the whole season, making 39 appearances and scoring 3 goals.[6]

At the beginning of the 2006–07 season, the then 24-year-old midfielder was sent to Siena on a fourth consecutive loan spell, and faced his second Serie A season, which proved much more successful than the first one. He made 32 appearances and scored 3 goals.[2] In particular, his very first goal in the top-tier came on 26 November, in a home game against Fiorentina.[7]

Empoli (2007–2008)

Prior to the start of the 2007–08 season, Milan reclaimed Antonini for €1 million and sent him to Empoli also for €1 million, along with his future teammate Ignazio Abate (the 50% valued €0.9 million), in a new co-ownership deal.[8][9][10] With Empoli, Antonini made his debut in European competitions on 20 September 2007, in a UEFA Cup first-round game against Zürich, also scoring a penalty.[11] Despite the team being relegated, he had an extremely good season, also showing versatility when coach Alberto Malesani started to employ him as a fullback.[1]

Return to Milan (2008–2013)

File:Chamakh & Antonini Emirates Cup 2010.jpg
Antonini (right) and Marouane Chamakh of Arsenal in action for the Emirates Cup 2010

On 9 June 2008, Antonini was brought back by Milan and included in their squad[12] for €2.75 million plus €150,000 other fee, in a pure player swap. (Antonini and Abate to Milan for a total fee of €4.75 million, Pozzi and Marzoratti to Empoli for a total fee of €4.75 million)[13][14]

Antonini in action for A.C. Milan in 2012

In his first season with the Rossoneri, he did not get much playing time though, making only 11 league appearances. For the 2009–10 campaign, Milan signed new head coach Leonardo, who initially did not seem to take Antonini into much consideration. However, as the season progressed, injuries to first-string players such as Zambrotta and Jankulovski prompted the Brazilian to put him in the line-up. Antonini seized his chance and earned Leonardo's trust by constantly performing well.[15]

His valuable performances also persuaded the club to offer him a contract extension until 2014, which was signed on 11 February 2010.[16][17] He finished his second year at Milan on a high, scoring his first goal for the Rossoneri in the last match of the season, a home game against Juventus, on 15 May 2010.[18]

When new coach Massimiliano Allegri was appointed in the summer of 2010, he kept Antonini at the left back position and Luca was a regular in the starting XI for the whole of the 2010–11 season, helping Milan win their 18th Scudetto. He continued to be a regular for the 2011–12 season, where Milan disappointingly finished second to Juventus, but managed to win the Italian Supercup in the summer of 2011.

Genoa (2013–2015)

At the start of the 2013–14 season, Antonini left Milan to join Genoa as part of a deal which saw midfielder Valter Birsa move the other way.[19] He made 26 appearances in Serie A, scoring two goals, in his first season with the Grifone.[20] The following season, he made just seven appearances and was then released by the club.

Ascoli (2015-present)

Antonini joined Serie B side Ascoli on 4 September 2015.[21]

International career

Antonini made up a total of 5 caps with Italy U-17 and U-18, between 1999 and 2001. However, he did not receive any further call-up at higher levels of youth international football.

Nine years later, Antonini got his first call-up for the senior team; newly appointed coach Cesare Prandelli named him in the squad for a friendly against Côte d'Ivoire, to be played on 10 August 2010.[22] However, he was left as an unused substitute.[23]

Style of play

Antonini with Robinho

Antonini is a versatile footballer who has been employed either as a winger or as a fullback, playing both on the left or the right side.[24] His speed and stamina also allows him to attack and fall back to his position with ease.[24]

Statistics

As of 7 January 2013.

Team Season Domestic
League		 Domestic
Cup		 European
Competition1		 Other
Tournaments2		 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Prato 2001–02 26 3 0 0 – 4[25] 0 30 3
Ancona 2002–03 17 1 2 0 – – 19 1
Sampdoria 2003–04 3 0 4 1 – – 7 1
Modena 2004–05 15 1 0 0 – – 15 1
Pescara 2005 22 3 – – – 22 3
Arezzo 2005–06 39 3 1 0 – – 40 3
Siena 2006–07 32 3 2 0 – – 34 3
Empoli 2007–08 32 0 2 1 2 1 – 36 2
Milan 2008–09 11 0 1 0 6 0 – 18 0
2009–10 22 1 1 0 2 0 – 25 1
2010–11 22 0 0 0 1 0 – 23 0
2011–12 20 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 24 0
2012–13 6 0 1 0 2 0 – 9 0
Total 81 1 3 0 17 0 0 0 111 1
Genoa 2013–14 26 2 – – – 26 2
Career Total 278 16 14 2 17 1 4 0 325 19

1European competitions include UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup
2Other tournaments include Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia Serie C

Personal life

Antonini is married to Benedetta Balleggi, whom he first met at the time he was in Prato.[26] The couple have two daughters, Sofia Vittoria and Viola Maria (b. 2010).[27]

Honours

Milan

References

References and notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  3. ↑ A list of the league games played by Antonini that season can be found here.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ AC Milan Spa 2006 Annual Report (Italian)
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ AC Milan Spa 2007 Annual Report (Italian)
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Empoli FC SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2008 (Italian), PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ http://aic.football.it/scheda/5619/antonini-luca.htm
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]

External links

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