Luca Castellazzi

Luca Castellazzi

Castellazzi with Inter Milan in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth	(1975-07-19) 19 July 1975 (age 48)
Place of birth	Gorgonzola, Italy
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1992–1994	Monza
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1995	Varese	18	(0)
1995–1996	Monza	32	(0)
1996–1999	Padova	57	(0)
1999	→ Pescara (loan)	3	(0)
1999–2005	Brescia	106	(0)
2002–2003	→ Reggina (loan)	14	(0)
2003	→ Catania (loan)	18	(0)
2005–2010	Sampdoria	101	(0)
2010–2014	Internazionale	24	(0)
2014–2016	Torino	0	(0)
Total		373	(0)
Managerial career
2016–2018	Torino (team manager)
2022–	Milan (goalkeeper coach–U17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:57, 15 February 2016 (UTC)

Luca Castellazzi (born 19 July 1975) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He serves as the goalkeeper coach of Milan young team under 17.

Club career

Early career

Castellazzi began his career at Monza. He then spent time in Serie B, Serie C1 and Serie C2 with Padova and Pescara, ^[1] before joining Brescia along with Vincenzo Mazzeo. ^[2]

Brescia

Castellazzi followed Brescia promoted to Serie A in the summer of 2000. He made his Serie A debut on 21 January 2001, against Vicenza. In the 2001–02 season, he was first choice for the team but during the next season lost his place to Matteo Sereni. After being loaned to Reggina and Catania in the 2002–03 season, he finally became a regular starter again in the 2004–05 season, in which he played all 38 Serie A matches. Castellazzi initially the first choice of 2003–04 season, but lost his place to Federico Agliardi after matchday 4 ^[3] and regained his place on matchday 23.

Sampdoria

After Brescia were relegated to Serie B in the summer of 2005, Castellazzi joined Sampdoria on a free transfer, signing a reported two-year contract. ^[4] He received the number 1 shirt from Luigi Turci. The first season he was the backup of Francesco Antonioli, and Castellazzi only played the three matches which Antonioli missed.

In his second season, Castellazzi finally earned a regular place, and in January 2008, he signed a contract extension again which would run until summer 2010. ^[5]

After the injury during 2009–10 season, Castellazzi lost his starting place to Marco Storari, and in February 2010, it was rumoured he had signed a pre-contract with Internazionale. ^[6]

In total, Castellazzi played 101 league matches for the Genoese side, while his understudies Antonio Mirante, Gianluca Berti and Carlo Zotti played 22 matches during 2007–08 to 2008–09 season, 11 matches and 1 match in 2006–07 respectively.

Internazionale

On 17 June 2010, Castellazzi joined UEFA Champions League and Serie A champions Internazionale on a free transfer, tying him to the club until 2012. ^[7] He became one of the understudies to Júlio César along with Paolo Orlandoni and replaced the retired Francesco Toldo. During the 2010–11 season, Castellazzi played in all three major competitions – Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia – due to injuries afflicting the first-choice Júlio César.

On 11 May 2012, Castellazzi signed a new contract with Inter, keeping him at the club until 2014. ^[8]

Torino

Castellazzi signed for Torino on a free transfer after completing his contract with Inter in 2014. He debuted for the Granata on 14 January 2015 in the Coppa Italia against Lazio, replacing Cristian Molinaro after the expulsion of Daniele Padelli.

Castellazzi signed a new deal with Torino in 2015, keeping him with the club until June 2016; ^[9] once expired, he retired from football to become team manager of the club. ^[10]

Style of play

An experienced shot-stopper, Castellazzi was known for his professionalism and consistency as a goalkeeper, as well as his excellent reflexes and ability between the posts, which enabled him to produce spectacular and decisive saves. He was less effective and confident at coming off his line to deal with high balls, however. In his youth, he was considered to be a promising goalkeeper, and his main role-models were Luca Marchegiani and Walter Zenga. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]}

Honours

Internazionale

• Supercoppa Italiana: 2010
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2010
• Coppa Italia: 2010–11

References

1. "Padova e Foggia, su la testa". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 16 January 1999. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
2. "Il Cosenza senza pace I tifosi contro Pagliuso". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 17 July 1999. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
3. "Bocciato Castellazzi De Biasi sceglie Saja". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 5 October 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
4. "Castellazzi to give Sampdoria cover". UEFA.com. 25 July 2005. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
5. "Castellazzi: "Vittoria e rinnovo del contratto, sono felice"" (Press release) (in Italian). U.C. Sampdoria. 26 January 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
6. "Inter Have Signed Luca Castellazzi From Sampdoria – Agent". Goal.com. 27 February 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
7. "Mercato: Castellazzi e l'Inter fino al 2012". FC Internazionale Milano official site (in Italian). 17 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
8. "Castellazzi signs two-year contract". F.C. Internazionale Milano Official Website. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
9. "Castellazzi rinnova sino al 2016" (in Italian). Torino F.C. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
10. "Torino: Luca Castellazzi da portiere a Team Manager".
11. Morando, Andrea (24 April 2009). "Castellazzi: "A Roma per giocarcela alla pari"" (in Italian). Sampdoria News. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
12. Carminati, Nadia (27 February 2010). "Castellazzi set for Inter". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
13. Coerts, Stefan (25 July 2011). "Inter's Luca Castellazzi's neck injury not as serious as initially feared". Goal.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
14. Timossi, Serena (19 July 2010). "Auguri a Luca Castellazzi, un protagonista senza clamore" (in Italian). Sampdoria News. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
15. Santi, Marino (8 March 1997). "Castellazzi e' pronto al grande salto con la maglia portafortuna di Zenga". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2020.

External links

• Profile at La Gazzetta dello Sport (2009–10) (in Italian)
• Profile at AIC.Football.it (in Italian)