Andrea Barzagli

Andrea Barzagli

Personal information
Full name	Andrea Barzagli
Date of birth	(1981-05-08) 8 May 1981 (age 31)
Place of birth	Fiesole, Italy
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current club	Juventus
Number	15
Youth career
	Rondinella
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2000	Rondinella	51	(3)
2000	Pistoiese	5	(0)
2001	Rondinella	13	(1)
2001–2003	Piacenza	0	(0)
2001–2003	→ Ascoli (loan)	46	(3)
2003–2004	Chievo	29	(3)
2004–2008	Palermo	142	(4)
2008–2011	VfL Wolfsburg	75	(1)
2011–	Juventus	50	(1)
National team‡
2003–2004	Italy U-21	15	(0)
2004–	Italy	29	(0)
Honours Competitor for  Italy Men's Football Bronze 2004 Athens Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2012

Andrea Barzagli, Ufficiale OMRI^[1][2] (Italian pronunciation: [anˈdrɛa barˈdzaʎʎi]; born 8 May 1981 in Fiesole) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Juventus.^[3]

Club career

In the 1998–1999 season Barzagli made his first professional football appearance with semi-professional Rondinella Calcio^[4] before moving to Serie B side A.C. Pistoiese in 2000–01, ^[4] in a co-ownership deal. ^[5] A year later he rejoined Rondinella Calcio in Serie C2. He then signed for Ascoli Calcio 1898 for the 2001–02 season^[4] (from Piacenza, a Serie A from 2001 to 2003) and helped them gain promotion to Serie B. He remained in Ascoli for another year without further success. In July 2003 he was sold by Piacenza in another co-ownership deal.^[6] His first Serie A cap was won with ChievoVerona in the 1-1 draw at Brescia on August 2003.^[4] A year later the defender was signed by Serie A outfit Palermo. Barzagli was bestowed with the captain's armband after Eugenio Corini controversially left the Sicilian club in the summer of 2007–08.^[7]

Wolfsburg

In 2008, Barzagli was in contract negotiations with ACF Fiorentina and was widely expected to sign. To everyone's surprise the deal fell through as Barzagli, a native Florentine, had already stated his eagerness to join.^[8] Barzagli's agent spoke to media saying: "The difference between what we were asking and what they offered was minimal – it amounted to £100,000. Andrea was willing to give up a lot of money to play for Fiorentina, but they didn’t take our requests into consideration".^[9] Instead Barzagli choose to join VfL Wolfsburg and the Bundesliga following fellow Italian and team-mate Cristian Zaccardo. He was given the number 43. It was later reported that the Italian international snubbed Fiorentina's five years £1.2 million contract for VfL Wolfsburg's offer of 3 years £2.5 million offer.^[10] The transfer fee was 12.95 million Euro.^[11] Barzagli played every minute of the 2008–09 Bundesliga championship winning season for Wolfsburg. He scored his first goal for Wolfsburg in a 4–0 win over TSG Hoffenheim on 4 April 2010.

This section requires expansion.

Juventus

On 26 January 2011, Barzagli left Wolfsburg to return to Italy, joining Serie A giants Juventus for a contract of €300,000 fixed and €300,000 variable.^[3] Barzagli's contract with Wolfsburg was due to expire on 30 June 2011.

Since the arrival of Antonio Conte as coach of the Bianconeri, Barzagli has gone on to become an integral part of the Juve backline and is one of the clubs most consistent performers, culminating in a recall to the national team. He scored his first goal for Juventus on 13 May 2012, scoring a penalty against Atalanta in the last league match. He has helped Juventus win the 2011–12 scudetto.

International career

Barzagli won his first international cap on November 2004 against Finland under Italian coach Lippi. He was called up for 2006 FIFA World Cup and, while not expecting to play at all, was deployed as a substitute in the second round match against Australia and again for a full 90 minutes in the quarter-final against Ukraine due to the suspension of Marco Materazzi.^[12] Barzagli was deployed six times under the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying matches and appeared in the crucial 2-1 victory over Scotland.^[13] He was recalled to Italy's UEFA Euro 2008 squad and partnered Materazzi in the heavy 0-3 defeat against The Netherlands after Italian skipper Fabio Cannavaro on June 2 suffered an injury in training.^[14] Barzagli has since then only appeared for the Azzurri one time in the 1-2 World Cup qualifer win against Cyprus after Alessandro Gamberini fell injured after 60 seconds.^[15]

On 7 October 2011, after three years of absence, he came back to the national team playing as a starter in the Euro 2012 qualifier away match against Serbia.

On 1 June 2012, in a preparation match for Euro 2012, he captained the team for the first time after Gianluigi Buffon was taken off to be replaced by Morgan De Sanctis.

Honours

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship:

Gold: 2004

• The Olympics::

Bronze: 2004

• FIFA World Cup:

Gold: 2006

• Fußball-Bundesliga:

2008–09

• Serie A:

2011–12

References

Italy squad v t e Italy squad – 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Winners (5th Title) 1 Amelia 2 Zaccardo 3 Moretti 4 Gamberini 5 Bonera 6 De Rossi 7 Pinzi 8 Palombo 9 Gilardino 10 Brighi 11 Sculli 12 Agliardi 13 Barzagli 14 Bovo 15 Donadel 16 Potenza 17 Mesto 18 Rosina 19 Del Nero 20 Caracciolo 21 D'Agostino 22 Zotti Coach: Gentile v t e Italy squad – 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalists 1 Amelia 2 Chiellini 3 Moretti 4 Ferrari 5 Bonera 6 De Rossi 7 Pinzi 8 Palombo 9 Gilardino 10 Pirlo 11 Sculli 12 Gasbarroni 13 Barzagli 14 Bovo 15 Donadel 16 Del Nero 17 Mesto 18 Pelizzoli Coach: Gentile v t e Italy squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners (4th Title) 1 Buffon 2 Zaccardo 3 Grosso 4 De Rossi 5 Cannavaro (c) 6 Barzagli 7 Del Piero 8 Gattuso 9 Toni 10 Totti 11 Gilardino 12 Peruzzi 13 Nesta 14 Amelia 15 Iaquinta 16 Camoranesi 17 Barone 18 Inzaghi 19 Zambrotta 20 Perrotta 21 Pirlo 22 Oddo 23 Materazzi Coach: Lippi v t e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Buffon 2 Panucci 3 Grosso 4 Chiellini 5 Gamberini 6 Barzagli 7 Del Piero (c) 8 Gattuso 9 Toni 10 De Rossi 11 Di Natale 12 Borriello 13 Ambrosini 14 Amelia 15 Quagliarella 16 Camoranesi 17 De Sanctis 18 Cassano 19 Zambrotta 20 Perrotta 21 Pirlo 22 Aquilani 23 Materazzi Coach: Donadoni v t e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Buffon (c) 2 Maggio 3 Chiellini 4 Ogbonna 5 Motta 6 Balzaretti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Balotelli 10 Cassano 11 Di Natale 12 Sirigu 13 Giaccherini 14 De Sanctis 15 Barzagli 16 De Rossi 17 Borini 18 Montolivo 19 Bonucci 20 Giovinco 21 Pirlo 22 Diamanti 23 Nocerino Coach: Prandelli