Domenico Berardi

Domenico Berardi
Personal information
Date of birth1 August 1994
Place of birthCariati, Italy
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Sassuolo
(on loan from Juventus)
Number25
Youth career
2008–2010Cosenza
2010–2012Sassuolo
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2012–2013Sassuolo37(11)
2013–Juventus0(0)
2013–2014→ Sassuolo (loan)29(16)
2014–→ Sassuolo (loan)26(11)
National team‡
2014–Italy U214(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 October 2014

Domenico Berardi (Italian pronunciation: [doˈmeniko beˈrardi];[1] born 1 August 1994) is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Sassuolo, on loan from Juventus, and for the Italy national under-21 football team, as a forward.

Club career

Born in Cariati, Berardi joined the youth academy of Cosenza at the age of 13, before moving to Sassuolo at the age of 16.[2][3] Berardi made his senior debut for Sassuolo on 27 August 2012, and scoring his first professional goal five days later.[4] In November 2012, he was linked with a transfer to a number of English clubs.[5] In 2013, he was named Best Player of the Serie B in the past season in the annual Gran Galà del calcio awards.[6] In June 2013, he was described as the "undoubted star of the [Sassuolo] side."[7]

On 2 September 2013, Juventus confirmed via their official website that Berardi had joined the club on a co-ownership basis that saw Luca Marrone transfer in the opposite direction for a fee of €4.5 million. Berardi remained with Sassuolo on a season-long loan deal for the 2013–14 season.[8] On 20 October, he scored a penalty as Sassuolo defeated Bologna 2–1 for their first Serie A win, moving them off bottom spot.[9]

He scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, in Sassuolo's first Serie A away win, 4–3 against Sampdoria on 3 November 2013.[10]

On 12 January 2014, Berardi scored all four goals in a 4–3 home win against Milan. In doing so, he became the second youngest player to score four goals in a single Serie A match – the youngest was the 18-year-old Silvio Piola in 1931 – and the first player to score four in a league match against Milan.[11][12]

On 6 May 2014, Berardi scored a first-half hat-trick in 4–3 away win at Fiorentina.[13][14] He finished the season with 16 goals in 29 games in the league as Sassuolo avoided relegation.[4]

In July 2014, it was confirmed that Berardi was to stay at Sassuolo on loan for another season.[15]

International career

Berardi has played for the Italian under-21 national team.[4] He made his debut under Italy under-21 manager Luigi Di Biagio on 4 June 2014, in a 4–0 home win over Montenegro.[16] He scored his first goal on his third appearance for the azzurrini, the match-winning goal in a 3–2 win over Serbia in a 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying match, which allowed Italy to progress to the playoffs, and eventually qualify for the final tournament.[17]

Playing style

A quick and hardworking left-footed player with an eye for goal, Berardi is capable of being deployed in several offensive positions on either side of the pitch, or through the centre; he has been utilised as a striker and as a supporting forward, although his preferred position is that of a winger.[18] Berardi is regarded as one of the most talented and promising young footballers of his generation,[19] and former Milan and Italy manager, Arrigo Sacchi, has described Berardi as "a player of great talent, a modern footballer who plays for the team all over the field. The liveliness, intuition, temperament, strength combine with a good technique."[20]

Career statistics

As of 19 April 2015[4]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sassuolo 2012–13 371120003911
2013–14 291610003016
2014–15 261120002811
Total 893650009436
Juventus 2013–14 00000000
2014–15 00000000
Total 00000000
Career total 893650009436

Honours

Club

Sassuolo[21]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ See Domenico and Berardi in Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia
  2. ↑ Marco Giordano (14 May 2013). "La Meglio Gioventu’ – Domenico Berardi" (in Italian). CalcioWeb. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  3. ↑ Paolo Camedda (3 August 2013). "Generazione di Fenomeni – Domenico Berardi, il 'Van Persie della Sila' che piace a Juventus, Napoli, Inter... e Manchester Utd" (in Italian). Goal.com (IT). Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Domenico Berardi profile at Soccerway
  5. ↑ Simon Jones (13 November 2012). "Man United, City and Liverpool lead chase for Italian youngster Berardi". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ↑ http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2014/01/gran-gala-del-calcio-2013-winners/
  7. ↑ Scott Johnson (16 June 2013). "Sassuolo become smallest town to reach Serie A". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Juventus complete double transfer deal with Sassuolo". Juventus F.C. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sassuolo 2–1 Bologna: Neroverdi Leapfrog Rossublu After Home Win". Forza Italian Football. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Berardi treble boosts Sassuolo". Sky Sports News. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Sassuolo 4–3 AC Milan: History-maker Berardi leaves Rossoneri red-faced". Goal.com. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  12. ↑ Bandini, Paolo (13 January 2014). "Domenico Berardi's awesome foursome sinks Milan ... and Massimiliano Allegri". theguardian.com. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Berardi hits treble in Sassuolo win". ESPN. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Shaun Best (6 May 2014). "Fiorentina vs Sassuolo, final score 3–4: Berardi treble boosts Sassuolo's survival hopes". sbnation.com. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  15. ↑ Berardi to stay at Sassuolo
  16. ↑ "Under 21, amichevoli: l'Italia cala il poker al Montenegro". Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  17. ↑ "Under 21 – Italia, rimonta-show con Belotti e Berardi". Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  18. ↑ "Domenico Berardi". vivoazzurro.it. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Domenico Berardi, the free-scoring teenager who fired four past Milan and is one of Europe's hottest talents". www.dailymail.co.uk. The Daily Mail. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "Why Domenico Berardi is the man to take Juventus to the next level". Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Domenico Berardi". vivoazzurro.it. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Calcio, Gran Galà. Pirlo giocatore dell'anno: "Consiglio Totti a Prandelli"". www.gazzetta.it. La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  23. ↑ "Sassuolo, Berardi miglior giovane del 2013–14 per l'Associazione Allenatori". www.gazzetta.it. La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2015.