Nicola Leali
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicola Leali | ||
| Date of birth | 17 February 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Cesena (on loan from Juventus) | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2011 | Brescia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2011–2012 | Brescia | 17 | (0) |
| 2012– | Juventus | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | →Lanciano (loan) | 37 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | →Spezia (loan) | 38 | (0) |
| 2014– | →Cesena (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008–2009 | Italy U16 | 6 | (0) |
| 2009 | Italy U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Italy U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Italy U19 | 12 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Italy U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2012– | Italy U21 | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 March 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Nicola Leali (born 17 February 1993) is an Italian professional goalkeeper who currently plays for A.C. Cesena in the Italian Serie A, on loan from three-time defending champions, Juventus.
Club career
Brescia Calcio
Born in Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy, Leali began his youth career with Brescia Calcio and played for the Brescia Primavera from 2009 to 2011. During the 2009-10 Serie B season, Sergio Viotti trained with first team instead and did not played for the reserve, but in the 2010–11 season, it was Leali who earned promotion to the first team. Michal Hrivňák was the first choice of the reserve (12 games) while Leali played 9 games. He also began his professional career with Brescia, after being called up to the first team for the first time in 2010. Initially, Leali was the club's third-choice goalkeeper for the 2010-11 Serie A season, behind veterans Matteo Sereni, and Michele Arcari, and was called up to the bench 17 times following an injury to Sereni, who terminated his contract with Bresica after failing to regain his place in the team following his return from injury. Leali made his Serie A debut for the club on 15 May 2011 in a 1-0 loss versus A.C. Cesena. He officially was promoted to the first team in July 2011, ahead of the 2011-12 Serie B campaign after the club's relegation from Serie A in 2011. He began the new season as the club's first choice goalkeeper, ahead of the aforementioned Arcari and fellow Brescia youth product Andrea Caroppo, although he eventually lost his place. In the second half of season Michele Arcari became the first choice after Leali was heavily linked with a transfer to other Italian teams.
Juventus
In June 2012 Leali traveled to Turin to have a medical in Clinica Fornaca di Sessant and Istituto di Medicina dello Sport in order to formalize a possible transfer to Juventus F.C.. The deal was officially completed on 3 July 2012. On 30 August 2012, Leali was sent out on loan to Serie B side, Virtus Lanciano on a one-year loan agreement. During his loan stint at the second tier club, Leali appeared in 37 league matches. Leali returned to Juventus on 30 June 2013, before being loaned to Serie B side Spezia Calcio on 30 July 2013. He joined the second-tier outfit on a one-season loan deal with an option to purchase half of the player's contract at the conclusion of the 2013-14 Serie B season.[1] He made his debut for Spezia on 25 August 2013 in a 0-0 home draw against Cittadella, and finished the season with 39 league appearances.[2] He returned to Juventus on 30 June 2014 upon the expiration of the loan agreement.
On 7 July 2014, Leali officially joined newly promoted Serie A side Cesena on a season-long loan deal that will expire on 30 June 2015.[3]
International career
Leali has represented Italy at the U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20, and U-21 levels. He also notably represented Italy at the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Israel.
References
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