Federico Gatti

Federico Gatti

Gatti with Frosinone in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(1998-06-24) 24 June 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Rivoli, Italy
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Juventus
Number	4
Youth career
	Chieri
2005–2012	Torino
2012–2016	Alessandria
2014–2015	→ Pavarolo (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2018	Alessandria	0	(0)
2014–2016	→ Pavarolo (loan)	31	(3)
2016–2017	→ Saluzzo (loan)	4	(0)
2017–2018	→ Pavarolo (loan)	27	(7)
2018–2020	Verbania	51	(6)
2020–2021	Pro Patria	34	(1)
2021–2022	Frosinone	18	(3)
2022–	Juventus	50	(4)
2022	→ Frosinone (loan)	17	(2)
International career‡
2022–	Italy	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:03, 20 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:22, 20 November 2022 (UTC)

Federico Gatti (born 24 June 1998) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club Juventus and the Italy national team.

In his youth career, Gatti played for the clubs Chieri, Torino and Alessandria. Gatti's senior career began with in February 2015, when he joined Promozione team Pavarolo, who gained promotion to Eccellenza in the next season. In mid-2016, Gatti joined Saluzzo but returned to Pavarolo six months later. Gatti remained at Pavarolo until 2018, when he changed his position from midfielder to defender during the last matches of the season. He then moved to Verbania, who won the Eccellenza title and were promoted to Serie D in the 2018–19 season. Gatti made his professional debut with Serie C side Pro Patria and he joined Serie B side Frosinone the following year. In January 2022, Gatti joined Juventus, who loaned him back to Frosinone until the end of the season.

Gatti did not represent Italy at youth levels, and he won his first senior team cap in 2022. Two years later, he was also selected for the UEFA Euro 2024 final squad.

Club career

Youth career

In 2005, aged seven, Federico Gatti played in a friendly match for Chieri against Torino; Giorgio Boscarato, Torino's sporting observer, noted his talent as a trequartista and reported him to Silvano Benedetti, the Torino Youth Sector sporting director who ultimately signed him. ^[1] Gatti was promoted to the under-15s side before moving on to Alessandria's youth team. ^[2] Gatti spent the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons with the club's under-15s (Giovanissimi Nazionali) side and with the under-17s (Allievi) team. ^[3]

Throughout his youth career, Gatti was not considered by Torino nor by Alessandria. ^[4] Gatti was sent on loan to Pavarolo in the 2014–15 season. ^[3] Instead of playing with the under-17s side, Gatti spent most of the season playing for the under-19s (Juniores) team, with whom he scored 13 goals in 18 league appearances despite being only 17 years old. ^[3]

Amateur career

In February 2015, Federico Gatti debuted with the first team, with whom he made four appearances that season. ^[3] The following season, Gatti was promoted to the first team and scored three goals in 27 Promozione appearances; he also won the award for the Best Youth Player of the season. ^{[3] [5]} His side were also promoted to Eccellenza, having won the Coppa Italia Promozione Piemonte–Valle d'Aosta. ^{[3] [5] [6] [7]}

In 2016, Alessandria loaned Gatti to Saluzzo ^{[6] [7]} but not having found much space, Gatti returned to Pavarolo in mid-January 2017. ^{[3] [8]} At the end of the season, Pavarolo avoided relegation to Promozione. ^{[6] [9]} During the 2016–17 season, Gatti scored eight goals in 31 league appearances. ^[3]

In the following season (2017–18), due to financial problems, Pavarolo could not pay its players so the most-experienced players decided not to train or play in the last 10 league matches, and the under-19s team were promoted to the first team. ^[10] Because Gatti was the tallest player on the squad, he changed his position from midfielder to defender. ^{[10] [2]} Gatti's side were relegated to Promozione at the end of the season. ^[9]

Verbania were impressed by Gatti's performances as a defender in a match against them, and they purchased him on a permanent contract in 2018. ^[3] Gatti scored one goal in 34 league appearances and Verbania won the Eccellenza title. ^{[11] [12]} Gatti impressed Serie C side Cavese, who tried to purchase him but did not. ^[3] In the following season (2019–20), Gatti scored three goals in 22 Serie D appearances prior to the interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, and his side were relegated to Eccellenza. ^{[3] [13]}

Pro Patria and Frosinone

Gatti celebrating his brace against SPAL on 18 December 2021

In mid-2020, Gatti became a professional player and signed to Serie C side Pro Patria. ^[13] On 30 September, he debuted for Pro Patria in a 3–2 second-round Coppa Italia match that was lost against Vicenza after extra time. ^[13] Gatti's first Serie C match was on 4 October, a 1–1 draw with Pro Vercelli. ^[13] His only goal for Pro Patria came on 3 April 2021, which allowed his team to win 1–0 against Lecco. ^[13] On 9 May, Gatti played his last game of the season in a Serie C promotion play-off match against Juventus U23—the reserve team of Juventus—in a match lost 3–1 at home, causing Pro Patria's elimination from the play-offs in the first round. ^{[2] [13]} During the season, Gatti played 36 matches, almost all of them 90 minutes long. ^[13]

Gatti moved to Serie B side Frosinone in 2021, ^{[11] [12]} signing a four-year contract ^[14] for a fee of €250,000. ^[15] Gatti made his debut on 15 August in the Coppa Italia first-round match against Venezia, which finished 1–1 and Gatti missed his penalty in the penalty shoot-out, losing 8–7. ^[13] Gatti's Serie B debut came on 20 August, in which he played as a starter in a 2–2 draw against Parma. ^[13] Gatti's first goal for Frosinone came on 23 October in a 2–1 win against Ascoli. ^[13] On 4 December, Gatti was sent off after twice being yellow carded in two minutes of an eventual 1–1 draw against Ternana. ^[16] Gatti's returned to the pitch after his one-match suspension caused by a red card on 18 December in Frosinone's 4–0 win against SPAL, in which he scored two goals. ^{[13] [17]}

"[Gatti] is the best defender of the Serie B and [he] has the characteristics to stay at Juve in the future."

—Massimiliano Allegri on Gatti in a pre-match press conference, 5 February 2022 ^[18]

Gatti had been close to a transfer move to Turin rivals Torino before Juventus entered the negotiations and bought him on 31 January 2022 ^[19] in a four-and-a-half-year deal for a fee of €7.5 million plus €2.5 million in performance-related bonuses. ^[20] After signing Gatti, Juventus promptly loaned him back to Frosinone for the rest of the season. ^[20] Gatti finished the season with five goals scored in 36 matches in all competitions; he also received 13 yellow cards. ^[13] He started matches 35 times and all of his appearances, except for the match against Ternana in which he was red-carded, were 90 minutes long. ^[13] On 17 October, he received the Serie B Footballer of the Year award for the 2021–22 Serie B. ^[21]

Juventus

Gatti made his Juventus and Serie A debut on 31 August 2022 against Spezia, winning 2–0. ^[22] On 25 October, he made his Champions League debut in a 4–3 defeat against Benfica. ^[23] On 13 April 2023, he scored his first goal for the team, in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals against Sporting CP, allowing his team win 1–0. ^[24]

International career

In May 2022, coach of the Italy national football team Roberto Mancini called Gatti up for a three-day training camp in Coverciano. ^[25] Gatti debuted on 11 June as a starter in a UEFA Nations League match against England. ^[26] The match ended in a goalless draw, and Gatti was considered to have played like "a veteran" by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera in the post-match report. ^[27]

On 3 June 2024, Gatti was called up to the preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024, replacing the injured Giorgio Scalvini. ^[28]

Style of play

Gatti is a robust, right-footed, centre-back who is 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) tall. ^{[2] [29]} According to Andrea Gigante writing for 90min.com, attributed Gatti's technique and vision to previous experience as a midfielder; he also has a strong personality and is strong in the air. ^[30] According to Domenico Marchese writing for La Repubblica , Gatti excels at man-to-man marking. ^[15] According to Pro Patria sporting director Sandro Turotti, Gatti can play in a four-man defence and can also play centre-right in a three-man defence as he did for Pro Patria. ^[31]

Personal life

Gatti is an only child; ^[32] his father Ludovico was a sporting director during his experience at Pavarolo. ^[33]

At the age of 17, Federico Gatti left school and started working, following his father's unemployment. Gatti worked as a bricklayer and as window manufacturer, repaired roofs and worked at markets for nine-to-ten hours a day until 2018. ^[34] Gatti would train in the evenings, having dinner at 23:00 ^[1] and would get up between 03:00 and 04:00. ^[10] Gatti's career has also been compared to that of Moreno Torricelli, who played amateur football and was a joiner before signing with Juventus in 1992. ^{[35] [32]}

Gatti considers Juventus' defender Giorgio Chiellini as his idol. ^[36] Prior to switching positions from midfielder to defender, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Adel Taarabt and Radja Nainggolan had been his inspirations. ^[37]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 May 2024 ^{[13] [38] [39]}

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Coppa Italia		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Alessandria	2014–15	Lega Pro	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Pavarolo (loan)	2014–15	Promozione	4	0	—				4	0
	2015–16	Promozione	27	3	—				27	3
	Total		31	3	0	0			31	3
Saluzzo (loan)	2016–17	Eccellenza	4	0	—				4	0
Pavarolo (loan)	2016–17	Eccellenza	0	0	—				0	0
	2017–18	Eccellenza	27	7	—				27	7
	Total		27	7	0	0			27	7
Verbania	2018–19	Eccellenza	29	3	—				29	3
	2019–20	Serie D	22	3	—				22	3
	Total		51	6	0	0			51	6
Pro Patria	2020–21	Serie C	34	1	1	0	1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	36	1
Frosinone	2021–22	Serie B	18	3	1	0	—		19	3
Juventus	2021–22	Serie A	—		—		—		0	0
Frosinone (loan)	2021–22	Serie B	17	2	0	0	—		17	2
	Total		35	5	1	0			36	5
Juventus	2022–23	Serie A	18	0	2	0	7 [lower-alpha 2]	2	27	2
	2023–24	Serie A	32	4	4	0	—		36	4
	Total		50	4	6	0	7	2	63	6
Career total			232	26	8	0	8	2	248	28

1. Appearance in Serie C promotion play-offs
2. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, five appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 20 November 2022 ^[39]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Italy	2022	2	0
	2023	1	0
Total		3	0

Honours

Pavarolo

• Coppa Italia Promozione Piemonte–Valle d'Aosta: 2015–16 ^[3]

Verbania

• Eccellenza Group A: 2018–19  [ it ] ^[12]

Juventus

• Coppa Italia: 2023–24 ^[40]

Individual

• Serie B Footballer of the Year: 2021–22 ^[41]
• Premio Nazionale Carriare Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2022

References

1. De Luca, Roberto (16 September 2021). "La favola di Federico Gatti, l'osservatore che lo suggerì al Torino: "Il Frosinone ha un difensore top"" [The story of Federico Gatti, the scout who suggested him to Torino: "Frosinone have a top defender"]. L'Inchiesta Cooperativa Editoriale (in Italian). Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
2. "Chi è Federico Gatti, il difensore centrale con la Serie A Tim nel destino" [Who is Federico Gatti, the centre-back with the Serie A Tim in his destiny]. DAZN (in Italian). 7 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
3. Stesina, Marco (31 January 2022). "Gatti era in Promozione, ora lo ha preso la Juventus beffando il Torino" [Gatti was in Promozione, now Juventus have taken him, bypassing Torino]. Sprint e Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
4. Riggio, Salvatore (31 January 2022). "Le bocciature" [The rejections]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
5. Redaction (31 May 2021). "Piedi buoni, possente e in continua crescita: ecco Federico Gatti" [Good feet, mighty and growing: here is Federico Gatti]. TuttoFrosinone (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2022.
6. Redaction (12 June 2021). "Federico Gatti, dal lavoro come muratore, alla Serie B" [Federico Gatti, from the work as bricklayer to the Serie B]. Tuttocampo (in Italian). Retrieved 16 August 2021.
7. Gioacas, Alina (19 January 2017). "Il Pavarolo riabbraccia Federico Gatti" [Pavarolo re-hug Federico Gatti]. Sprint e Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2022.
8. Piccinini, Marco (22 January 2017). "Dilettanti – Pavarolo, riecco Gatti. Moretta: c'è Vegliato" [Amateurs - Pavarolo, Gatti back. Moretta: there is Vegliato]. Tuttosport (in Italian). Retrieved 6 April 2022.
9. Vecchi, Mirco (5 September 2018). ""Oggi ti presento": Federico Gatti" ["Today I present you": Federico Gatti]. I am calcio (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2022.
10. Guerrieri, Francesco (5 November 2021). "Frosinone, Gatti a CM: 'Mi svegliavo alle 4 di notte per lavorare al mercato, un'amichevole mi ha cambiato la vita'" [Federico Gatti at CM: "I got up at 04:00 to work at the market, a friendly match has changed my life."]. Calciomercato.com (in Italian). Retrieved 14 February 2021.
11. Marzio, Gianluca Di (27 May 2021). "Frosinone, ufficiale l'arrivo di Federico Gatti dalla Pro Patria" [Frosinone, official arrival of Federico Gatti from Pro Patria]. Gianluca Di Marzio (in Italian). Retrieved 16 August 2021.
12. Visca, Antonio (27 May 2021). "Frosinone Calcio, ufficiale Federico Gatti: ecco le sue caratteristiche" [Frosinone Calcio, official Federico Gatti: here are his characteristics]. FrosinoneToday (in Italian). Retrieved 2 February 2022.
13. Federico Gatti at Soccerway. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
14. Visca, Antonio (27 May 2021). "Calciomercato Frosinone, ufficiale l'arrivo di Gatti: contratto di 4 anni" [Transfer market Frosinone, official arrival of Gatti: 4-year contract]. L'Inchiesta Cooperativa Editoriale (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
15. Marchese, Domenico (31 January 2022). "Federico Gatti, the former bricklayer bought by Juventus. "Man-marking like Chiellini"". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
16. "Frosinone Calcio - Ternana Calcio 1:1 (Serie B 2021/2022, 16. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
17. "Gatti: "Era fondamentale vincere, ora a Pisa e Parma senza risparmiarci."" [Gatti: "It was fundamental to win, now to Pisa and Parma without sparing ourselves".]. Frosinone Calcio (in Italian). 18 December 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
18. "Gatti Juve, parla Allegri: "Miglior difensore della Serie B. In futuro…"" [Gatti Juve, Allegri speaks: "Best defender in Serie B. In the future..."]. Juventus News 24 (in Italian). 5 February 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
19. "Juve, sorpasso al Toro per Gatti: affare fatto" [Juve, overtaking Toro for Gatti: deal done]. Sky Sport (in Italian). 30 January 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
20. "Federico Gatti è un giocatore della Juventus!" [Federico Gatti is a new Juventus player!]. Juventus FC (in Italian). 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
21. Torriso, Antonio (17 October 2022). "Gran Galà del Calcio AIC: Federico Gatti eletto miglior giovane della Serie B". Goal (in Italian). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
22. "Match report | Juve score twice without reply against Spezia". Juventus FC . 31 August 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
23. "Juventus crash out UEFA Champions League group stage: Three reasons why Massimiliano Allegri's team failed". CBS Sports. 25 October 2022.
24. UEFA.com (13 April 2023). "Juventus - Sporting CP 1-0: Gatti e Perin decisivi". UEFA.com (in Italian). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
25. "Convocati Italia, Mancini ne chiama 53 per lo stage: presenti tre bianconeri". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
26. "Formazioni ufficiali Inghilterra Italia: la decisione di Mancini su Gatti e Locatelli" [Official England Italy line-ups: Mancini's decision on Gatti and Locatelli]. Juventus News 24 (in Italian). 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
27. Tommaselli, Paolo (11 June 2022). "Pagelle Inghilterra-Italia: Gatti veterano, Gnonto meglio dalla panchina; Abraham non punge" [England-Italy report cards: Gatti a veteran, Gnonto better from the bench; Abraham does not sting]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2022.
28. "Official: Italy call up Gatti to replace injured Scalvini". Football Italia. 3 June 2024.
29. Riggio, Salvatore (31 January 2022). "Gioca come Gatti" [Plays as Gatti]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
30. Gigante, Andrea (13 November 2021). "Chi è Federico Gatti: profilo e caratteristiche del difensore che piace a Juve e Napoli" [Federico Gatti: profile and characteristics of the defender that Juve and Napoli like]. 90min.com (in Italian). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
31. "Gatti mania in Serie B, il ds della Pro Patria: 'Era finito in Eccellenza, può fare la carriera di Acerbi'" [Gatti mania in Serie B, Pro Patria manager: 'He was in Eccellenza, he can make Acerbi's career']. Calciomercato.com (in Italian). 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
32. Binda, Nicola (22 December 2021). "Gatti: "Ho sofferto in cantiere. E sarò l'ultimo a mollare. Ora punto Chiellini"" [Gatti: "I suffered at the construction site. And I'll be the last to give up. Now I'm aiming for Chiellini]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
33. Gioacas, Alina (19 July 2017). "Pavarolo, è fatta per Causin; rimane il gioiello Gatti" ["Pavarolo, done for Causin; the jewel Gatti remains"]. Sprint e Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
34. Riggio, Salvatore (31 January 2022). "I sacrifici" [The sacrifices]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
35. Riggio, Salvatore (31 January 2022). "L'esempio di Torricelli" [The example of Torricelli]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
36. Cardia, Ivan (19 February 2022). "Gatti: "Due anni fa montavo serramenti, ora la Juventus. Mi sembra ancora surreale"" [Gatti: "Two years ago I would mount windows, now Juventus. It still seems surreal to me"]. Tuttomercatoweb (in Italian). Retrieved 19 February 2022.
37. Cornacchia, Filippo (11 April 2022). "Gatti: "De Ligt marziano, Vlahovic un fenomeno. Farò di tutto per restare alla Juve"" [Gatti: "De Ligt a Martian, Vlahovic a phenomenon. I'll do everything to stay at Juve".]. Tuttosport (in Italian). Retrieved 11 April 2022.
38. "Federico Gatti". TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian). Retrieved 16 August 2021.
39. Federico Gatti at National-Football-Teams.com
40. "LA JUVENTUS VINCE LA COPPA ITALIA FRECCIAROSSA" [JUVENTUS WINS THE FRECCIAROSSA ITALIAN CUP] (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
41. "Milan pigliatutto, premiati Pioli, Maldini e 4 giocatori. Leao il migliore: "Qui sono maturato"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.

External links

• Federico Gatti at the Juventus F.C. website
• Federico Gatti at Lega Serie A
• Federico Gatti – UEFA competition record ( archive )
• Federico Gatti at FootballDatabase.eu