Cesare Natali

Cesare Natali
Personal information
Date of birth5 April 1979
Place of birthBergamo, Italy
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Playing positionCentral Defender
Club information
Current team
Sassuolo
Number14
Youth career
1997–1998Atalanta
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1998–2005Atalanta69(2)
1998–1999Lecco (loan)22(1)
2001Monza (loan)11(1)
2003–2004Bologna (co-ownership)31(0)
2005–2007Udinese51(1)
2007–2009Torino50(3)
2009–2012Fiorentina56(2)
2012–Bologna25(1)
National team
2002Italy U-213(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 May 2012.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 May 2007

Cesare Natali (born 5 April 1979) is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender who currently plays for Bologna F.C. 1909.

Career

Atalanta

Natali started his career at Atalanta. He scored the opening goal in the relegation playoffs second legs in June 2003, but Atalanta eventually lost 1–2 and relegated to Serie B.[2] On 30 August 2003, he was sold to Bologna[3] in co-ownership deal. In 2004, he was re-signed by Atalanta. He was the regular of the team, partnered again with Gianpaolo Bellini and Luigi Sala.

Atalanta relegated again in June 2005.

Udinese

On 29 June 2005, he was signed by Udinese, to rejoin team mate Piermario Morosini, Massimo Gotti, Marco Motta, Fausto Rossini. Udinese paid reported €2 million to relegated Atalanta for Natali. He signed a contract until 2010.[4]

He was the regular of the team but suffered from fractured left ankle in September.[5]

He made 32 starts during the 2006–07 season.[6]

Torino

Since the signing of Aleksandar Luković, In July 2007, he was sold to Torino, signed a 4-year contract.[7] He was the regular until injured in March 2008.[8]

Fiorentina

On 4 July 2009, he was signed by ACF Fiorentina from relegated Torino, for €2.8 million,[9][10] concurrentlly Torino signed Simone Loria as replacement. He signed a 3-year contract.

On 20 October 2009, he played his first game for Fiorentina, at UEFA Champions League 2009–10 versus Debreceni VSC, replacing Dario Dainelli at half time. After the departure of Dainelli to Genoa in January, and the fitness problems of Alessandro Gamberini, Per Krøldrup and new signing Felipe, along with tactical rotation, he earned more chances to play, including the Champions league match against FC Bayern Munich.[11]

Natali scored his first goal for Fiorentina on 29 January 2012, netting the second in a 2–1 victory over derby rivals Siena.[12]

He scored his second soon after on 25 March against Genoa in the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. His header put Fiorentina 2–1 in front, however the match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Bologna

On 26 July 2012, Natali returned to Bologna for a second spell on a two-year contract.

International career

Along with Gianpaolo Bellini, team-mate at Atalanta, they were call-up to 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. They partnered all 3 group matches (including 1 substitute appearance) at the tournament.

In March 2004, he received his only call-up to national team, to replace injured Marcello Castellini.[13]

Club

As of 25 March 2012
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1998–99LeccoSerie C1221 221
1999–00AtalantaSerie B101020
2000–01Serie A001010
2000–01MonzaSerie B111 111
2001–02AtalantaSerie A702090
2002–032711030121
2003–04Bologna31000310
2004–05Atalanta34150391
2005–06Udinese1913051272
2006–0732031 351
2007–08Torino24130271
2008–0926231293
2009–10Fiorentina1404030210
2010–11160 160
2011–1226220282
Career total 29010272813281141

1Include 2 matches and 1 goal at Relegation Play-offs

References

  1. "Cesare Natali". soccerway.com. Retrieved 2009.
  2. "Reggina recovery stuns Atalanta". UEFA.com. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  3. "Cruz completes Inter move". UEFA.com. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  4. "Udinese chance for Natali". UEFA.com. 29 June 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  5. "Natali nightmare for Udinese". UEFA.com. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  6. 2006–07 La Gazzetta dello Sport
  7. "Il Torino acquista Natali" (in Italian). Torino FC. 4 July 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2009. Il Torino Football Club S.p.A. è lieto di comunicare di aver acquisito a titolo definitivo dall'Udinese Calcio S.p.A. il diritto alle prestazioni sportive del calciatore Cesare Natali fino al 30 giugno 2011.
  8. "Natali, frattura del quinto metatarso del piede destro" (in Italian). Torino FC. 26 March 2008. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  9. ACF Fiorentina Report and Accounts on 31 December 2009 (Italian)
  10. "Acquisito Natali" (in Italian). violachannel.tv/. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  11. "Line-ups: Felipe doesn't make it". football-italia.net. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  12. "Fiorentina win Tuscan derby".
  13. "Zidane misses Rotterdam trip". UEFA.com. 29 March 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2009.

External links

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