Manuel Giandonato

Manuel Giandonato

Personal information
Date of birth	(1991-10-10) 10 October 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth	Casoli, Italy
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Fermana
Number	20
Youth career
2004–2005	Pescara
2005–2010	Juventus
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2013	Juventus	3	(0)
2011–2012	→ Lecce (loan)	8	(0)
2012–2013	→ Vicenza (loan)	13	(1)
2013	→ Cesena (loan)	13	(0)
2014	Parma	0	(0)
2014	→ Juve Stabia (loan)	10	(0)
2014–2015	→ Salernitana (loan)	12	(0)
2015	→ Catanzaro (loan)	12	(2)
2015–2016	Padova	8	(0)
2015–2016	→ Virtus Lanciano (loan)	12	(0)
2016–2018	Livorno	40	(0)
2018–2019	Fermana	32	(3)
2019–2020	Piacenza	9	(0)
2020	→ Olbia (loan)	8	(0)
2020–2022	Olbia	46	(1)
2022–	Fermana	61	(10)
International career
2006–2007	Italy U-16	4	(0)
2007–2008	Italy U-17	5	(0)
2009	Italy U-18	2	(0)
2010	Italy U-19	1	(0)
2010	Italy U-20	1	(0)
2010–2012	Italy U-21	1	(0)
2012	Italy B	2	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 May 2024

Manuel Giandonato (born 10 October 1991) is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie C Group B club Fermana.

Club career

Juventus

Giandonato began his youth career with Juventus in 2004, and was promoted to the Primavera (Under 20) squad in 2009. After 7 years in the club's youth system, Giandonato began to earn senior call-ups during the 2009–10 Serie A season, and made his first Serie A appearance on 6 February 2010, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute for club captain and icon, Alessandro Del Piero in a league match against Livorno. After making his first team debut, Giandonato helped the Primavera squad win their second consecutive Viareggio title in 2010. He made his first start for Juventus on 19 December 2010 against Chievo Verona, though he was sent off in the 52nd minute of the match for a professional foul. Giandonato scored a stunning free kick against Manchester United in Gary Neville's testimonial match.

On 30 August 2011, Giandonato joined US Lecce on a season-long loan deal along with teammate Cristian Pasquato, in order to gain regular first-team experience. ^[1] He made his debut with Lecce on 11 September 2011, starting in the 0–2 home loss against Udinese. On 30 June 2012, Giandonato returned to Juventus after making just 8 first team appearances for the Stadio Via del Mare outfit.

After taking part in much of Juventus' 2012–13 Serie A pre-season, Giandonato was loaned out to Serie B side, Vicenza Calcio on 27 August 2012 on another season-long loan operation. ^[2] The loan deal, however, was cut short on 30 January 2013, when Juventus recalled the player in order to loan him out to fellow Serie B side, AC Cesena. Between the two clubs, Giandonato was a first team regular for much of the campaign, making 26 league appearances and scoring 1 goal.

Giandonato returned to Juventus on 30 June 2013, only to be released less than three months later.

Piacenza

On 16 July 2019, he signed with Piacenza. ^[3]

Olbia

On 10 January 2020 he joined Olbia on loan. ^[4] On 6 August 2020 he moved to Olbia on a permanent basis. ^[5]

Fermana

On 19 August 2022, Giandonato returned to Fermana. ^[6]

International career

Giandonato has represented Italy at the international level since 2006, when he began to earn call-ups for the U-16 squad. He has also been capped for the U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 teams. On 17 November 2010 he made his debut for the Italy U-21 team in a friendly game against Turkey. He has also been a member of the Italy under-21 Serie B representative team on 2 occasions, scoring a goal.

References

1. "Giandonato and Pasquato move on loan to Lecce". juventus.com. 31 August 2011.
2. "Giandonato in prestito al Vicenza" (in Italian). juventus.com. 29 August 2012.
3. "MANUEL GIANDONATO E' UN GIOCATORE DEL PIACENZA" (Press release) (in Italian). Piacenza. 16 July 2019.
4. "Benvenuto a Giandonato!" (Press release) (in Italian). Olbia. 10 January 2020.
5. "Giandonato è un giocatore dell'Olbia" (Press release) (in Italian). Olbia. 6 August 2020.
6. "UFFICIALE. A centrocampo c'è il ritorno di Manuel Giandonato" (in Italian). Fermana. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

External links

• Manuel Giandonato at ESPN FC
• Profile on Italian FA website (in Italian)
• Manuel Giandonato at Soccerway