Alessandro Gazzi

Alessandro Gazzi (born 28 January 1983) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Alessandro Gazzi
Gazzi playing for Torino in 2015
Personal information
Full name Alessandro Carlo Gazzi
Date of birth (1983-01-28) 28 January 1983
Place of birth Feltre, Italy
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1997–1999 Montebelluna
1999–2000 Treviso
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Treviso 2 (0)
2001–2003 → Lazio (loan) 0 (0)
2003–2004 Viterbese 31 (1)
2004–2011 Bari 225 (6)
2007 → Reggina (loan) 9 (0)
2011–2012 Siena 33 (1)
2012–2016 Torino 90 (2)
2016–2017 Palermo 26 (0)
2017–2021 Alessandria 99 (0)
International career
2003–2004 Italy U20 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:29, 5 July 2020 (UTC)

He became an honorary citizen of the city of Reggio Calabria on 27 May 2007.

Club career

Early career

He began his footballing career at Plavis, the youth team of his region, Santa Giustina. He then transferred to Montebelluna and immediately after to Treviso, with whom he debuted in the Serie B season of 2000–01, at age 17.

In the summer of 2001 he officially joined Lazio on a two-year loan, and was given a place in the youth team. He played for the youth team for two seasons, but never played for the first team, and in 2003 returned to Treviso at the end of the loan.

Viterbese

In August 2003 he was sold outright to Viterbese, at the time led by former coach of Genoa Guido Carboni. He was a regular starter for the side, contesting 31 games scoring a goal. He played four games in the promotion play-offs to Serie B, which Viterbo lost in the final against Crotone.

At the end of the season the club was declared bankrupt, and Gazzi and all the players on the team were released on a free transfer.

Bari and Reggina

In July 2004 he moved definitively to Bari in Serie B, along with his coach and teammates Vincenzo Santoruvo and Lorenzo Sibilano. In his first season in Apulia, he played 34 games and scored 3 goals, contributing to the final placement of 10th in the league standing.

The following year he took to the field 35 times, scoring 1 goal. On 4 January, he signed an extension until 2009.[1] In the following season he played 11 games, but on the last day of the winter transfer market was sold to Reggina in co-ownership, where for the first time in his career he had the opportunity to play in Serie A.[2] He made his debut in the top flight on 11 February 2007 in a win against Torino, and played 9 games until the end of the season. Thanks to his contribution, the team, then led by Walter Mazzarri, attains salvation in spite of an 11-point deduction due to the 2006 Italian football scandal. Gazzi was awarded, together with his companions, the title of honorary citizen of Reggio Calabria.

Return to Bari

On 22 June 2007 the co-ownership agreement was resolved in favor of Bari, and the player returned to Apulia. On 22 September, during a game against Ravenna, he suffered an eye injury which forced him into hospital and resulted in two weeks on the sideline. On 21 November, he extended his contract with Bari until 2011.

In the 2008–09 season, with 39 appearances, Gazzi was one of the most active players in the promotion of Bari into Serie A, coached by Antonio Conte. The following year he was a fixture of the team led by Giampiero Ventura, playing 32 games in the top flight. On 7 April 2010 he signed a further contract extension until 2013, and during 2011–2012, despite relegation, he was again an impressive player, with 31 games played. On 10 April 2011 he scored his first goal in Serie A against Catania.

Siena

After the relegation of Bari in Serie B, there were rumours of a possible transfer to Chievo Verona and especially Torino, but on 11 August 2011 a transfer was formalised to Sienna, newly promoted to Serie A.

The anchor of the midfield, made his debut under Giuseppe Sannino on 11 September against Catania and scored his first goal for the bianconeri 20 November, in a home game against Atalanta. He played 33 games for the club, scoring 1 goal.[3]

Torino

On 13 July 2012 Gazzi was sold to Torino for €2.5 million cash,[4] plus Matteo Rubin to Sienna in co-ownership.[5][6] He officially debuted for Torino on 18 August 2012, in a Coppa Italia fixture against Lecce;[7] his league debut for the Granata was on 26 August, against his former club, Siena.[8] He scored his first goal for Torino on 30 September in a 1–5 win away against Atalanta.[9] He concluded the 2012–13 season with 34 appearances and 2 goals - plus an appearance in Coppa Italia.[3] On 28 August 2014 he made his debut in European competition in a 1–0 defeat of HNK Hajduk Split.[10] In February 2015 he renewed his contract with the club until the end of the 2015–16 season.[11]

Palermo

On 3 August 2016, Palermo announced the signing of Gazzi from Torino. Upon signing for the club, he was handed the number 14 shirt.[12]

Alessandria

On 2 August 2017, signed a two years deal with Alessandria. In the summer of 2018, his contract was renewed until June 2020.

2011–12 Italian football scandal
Further information: 2011–12 Italian football scandal

In the month of August 2012, he was investigated by prosecutors in Bari for sporting fraud, along with his other former teammates at A.S. Bari, in regard to match-fixing in the past.[13]

On 6 June 2013, he was suspended for 3 months and 10 days, plus a fine of €40,000.[14]

Style of play

Although he is capable of playing in several midfield positions, Gazzi is usually deployed as a central or defensive midfielder, due to his work-rate, ball-winning abilities, as well as capacity to organise his team and distribute the ball to team-mates after winning back possession, despite his lack of notable technical skills. Known for his professionalism and consistency, he is a tenacious player of great physicality and determination, who possesses a strong left foot.[15][16][17][18][19]

Career statistics

Club

Updated 31 May 2015.[20]

Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Viterbese 2000–01Serie B2000——20
Lazio 2001–02Serie A000000—00
2002–03Serie A000000—00
Total000000—00
Viterbese 2003–04Serie C131100—40351
Bari 2004–05Serie B34320——00
2005–06Serie B35150——00
2006–07Serie B17010——00
Reggina 2006–07Serie A90———303
Bari 2007–08Serie B37130——00
2008–09Serie B39000——00
2009–10Serie A32010——00
2010–11Serie A31120——00
Total2256140——2396
Siena 2011–12Serie A33120——351
Torino 2012–13Serie A34210——352
2013–14Serie A11000——110
2014–15Serie A3001010[lower-alpha 1]0—410
2015–16Serie A0000——00
Total75220100—872
Career Total 379101801004040710
  1. All appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Club
Baru

References
  1. "Ufficiale: Gazzi rinnova con il Bari". Tuttomercatoweb.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  2. "Ufficiale: Reggina, preso Gazzi". Tuttomercatoweb.com. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  3. "A. Gazzi". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  4. "Nota Integrativa". Torino F.C. S.p.A. Bilancio al 31 dicembre 2012 (in Italian). Turin: Italian C.C.I.A.A. 2013.
  5. "TORINO FC 1906 SITO UFFICIALE - Ecco Alessandro Gazzi!". Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  6. "UFFICIALE: Gazzi al Torino, Rubin al Siena". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  7. "TORINO VS. LECCE 4 – 2". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  8. "SIENA VS. TORINO 0 – 0". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  9. "ATALANTA VS. TORINO 1 – 5". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  10. "Torino vs. RNK Split - 28 August 2014 - Soccerway".
  11. "Serie A, Torino-Gazzi: C'è il rinnovo - Torino / Serie A / Calcio - Tuttosport". Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  12. "ROSANERO CARES, ALL'ASTA SU CHARITY STARS LA MAGLIA DI GAZZI". www.palermocalcio.it (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  13. Bonetto, Marco (17 August 2012). "Servono 4 titolari e un altro portiere in". Tuttosport. p. 10.
  14. "Calcioscommesse: Palazzi chiede 4 anni per Gillet. Gazzi patteggia: 3 mesi. Bari da −1 in B". gazzetta.it. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  15. Manolo Chirico (21 August 2012). "Alessandro 'Gazzosa' Gazzi frizza da titolare" (in Italian). Toro News. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  16. Lorenzo Bonansea (2 August 2016). "Gazzi saluta dopo 4 anni, l'uomo "da Toro" che ha conquistato i tifos" (in Italian). Toro News. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  17. "Alessandro Gazzi" (in Italian). Tutto Calciatori. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  18. "Torino, Gazzi non ha solo polmoni d'acciaio" (in Italian). Toro News. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  19. Gian Marco Mura (11 January 2014). "Mercato Livorno, idea Gazzi per il centrocampo" (in Italian). 90min.com. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  20. Alessandro Gazzi at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
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