Matteo Lovato

Matteo Lovato

Lovato playing for Atalanta in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(2000-02-14) 14 February 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Monselice, Italy [1]
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) [2]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Sassuolo (on loan from Salernitana)
Number	20
Youth career
0000–2016	Padova
2016–2019	Genoa
2018–2019	→ Padova (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2020	Padova	17	(0)
2020–2021	Hellas Verona	25	(0)
2021–2022	Atalanta	6	(0)
2022	→ Cagliari (loan)	16	(0)
2022–	Salernitana	30	(0)
2024	→ Torino (loan)	13	(0)
2024–	→ Sassuolo (loan)	0	(0)
International career‡
2020–2023	Italy U21	15	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 June 2023

Matteo Lovato (born 14 February 2000) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie B club Sassuolo, on loan from Salernitana.

Club career

Early years

Lovato spent his early years in the youth teams of Padova before moving to Genoa's under-17 team at age 16, where he made 18 appearances and scored two goals. ^[3] Lovato did not join Genoa's Primavera team, though; he returned to Padova on loan in January 2018. ^[4]

On 25 August 2019, Lovato made his Serie C debut with Padova under coach Salvatore Sullo, as a starter in a 3–1 away victory against Virtus Verona. He would remain with the club for the first half of the 2019–20 season, accumulating 18 appearances in all competitions. ^[3]

Hellas Verona

On 31 January 2020, Hellas Verona announced the acquisition of Lovato for a reported fee of €500,000. ^{[3] [5] [6]} He made his Serie A debut with the club on 18 July 2020 under coach Ivan Jurić as a late substitute for Koray Günter in a 1–1 home draw against Atalanta. ^{[7] [8]}

The next season, Lovato broke into the starting lineup following the sale of Marash Kumbulla. ^{[9] [10]} He made a total of 24 appearances for Verona, helping the club to a 10th-place finish. ^[11]

Atalanta

On 31 July 2021, Lovato signed for Atalanta on a four-year contract, for a reported fee of €8 million plus €3 million in bonuses. ^[12]

Loan to Cagliari

On 3 January 2022, Lovato joined Cagliari on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season. ^[13]

Salernitana

Lovato joined Salernitana on 6 July 2022 on a five-year contract, ^[14] as part of a deal in which Éderson moved the other way. ^[15]

Loan to Torino

On 31 January 2024, Lovato moved on loan to Torino, with an option to buy. ^[16]

Loan to Sassuolo

On 7 August 2024, Lovato joined Sassuolo on loan, with an option to buy and a conditional obligation to buy. ^[17]

International career

On 12 November 2020, Lovato made his debut with the Italy U21 playing as a starter in a qualifying match won 2–1 against Iceland in Reykjavík. ^[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 May 2022 ^[19]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Padova	2019–20	Serie C	17	0	1	0	–		–		18	0
Hellas Verona	2019–20	Serie A	1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	2020–21		24	0	0	0	–		–		24	0
	Total		25	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
Atalanta	2021–22	Serie A	6	0	0	0	1	0	–		7	0
Cagliari (loan)	2021–22	Serie A	16	0	0	0	0	0	–		16	0
Career total			64	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	66	0

References

1. Matteo Lovato at WorldFootball.net
2. "Matteo Lovato #66". Cagliari Calcio (in Italian). Retrieved 30 March 2022.
3. Manzoni, Samuele (16 December 2020). "Da Kumbulla a... Matteo Lovato, il nuovo difensore del Verona" (in Italian). SportPaper. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
4. "Tutti i movimenti del mercato invernale del settore giovanile del Calcio Padova" (in Italian). 1 February 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
5. "Matteo Lovato ceduto a titolo definitivo all'Hellas Verona". padovacalcio.it (in Italian). 31 January 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
6. "Ufficiale: dal Padova arriva Lovato". hellasverona.it (in Italian). 31 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
7. "Verona-Atalanta 1-1, gol e highlights. Pessina risponde a Zapata" (in Italian). Sky Sport. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
8. "Verona, primo gettone in Serie A anche per Lovato". mondoprimavera.com (in Italian). 19 July 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
9. "Fanta guida: il Verona 2020–21 punta su Faraoni, Lazovic e Veloso per ripetere il miracolo". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 15 September 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
10. Antolini, Simone (11 October 2020). "Juric, tesoro da cento milioni: È caccia ai nuovi... Kumbulla" (in Italian). L'Arena . Retrieved 26 October 2020.
11. Bettoni, Lorenzo (30 July 2021). "Lovato to Atalanta 'a done deal', will he replace Romero?". Football Italia. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
12. Mork, Martin (31 July 2021). "Official: Lovato moves to Atalanta". Football Italia. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
13. "Lovato al Cagliari" (in Italian). Cagliari. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
14. "Matteo Lovato è un nuovo giocatore della Salernitana" (in Italian). US Salernitana 1919. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
15. "Salernitana, Ederson saluta. Lovato e Botheim alle visite". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 5 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
16. "LOVATO AL TORO" [LOVATO AT TORO] (in Italian). Torino. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
17. "Matteo Lovato: benvenuto in neroverde!" [Matteo Lovato: welcome to the black and green!] (in Italian). US Sassuolo Calcio. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
18. "Iceland U21 vs. Italy U21 - 12 November 2020". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
19. Matteo Lovato at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 June 2022.

External links

• Matteo Lovato at Soccerway