Francesco Bolzoni (born 7 May 1989) is a retired Italian footballer who played as a midfielder. He is a former Italy U21 international.

Francesco Bolzoni
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-05-07) 7 May 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Lodi, Italy
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
FC Paradiso (assistant)
Youth career
Inter
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Inter 1 (0)
2009–2010 Genoa 0 (0)
2009–2010Frosinone (loan) 25 (0)
2010–2013 Siena 67 (4)
2013–2016 Palermo 60 (4)
2016–2017 Novara 15 (0)
2017–2018 Spezia 29 (0)
2018–2022 Bari 31 (1)
2019–2020Imolese (loan) 8 (0)
2020–2021Lecco (loan) 35 (0)
2022 Team Ticino 13 (0)
2022–2023 Rapperswil-Jona 17 (1)
International career
2005–2006 Italy U17 8 (0)
2007 Italy U20 1 (0)
2007–2010 Italy U21 14 (0)
Managerial career
2023– FC Paradiso (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career edit

Internazionale edit

Bolzoni started out at San Colombano al Lambro before joining Inter's academy.[1] Bolzoni has played for every academy team from the Esordienti (under-13) to the Primavera (under-20).

During the season 2006–2007, Bolzoni was part of the winning side, when the reserve won the Campionato Nazionale Primavera (under-20 Italian Championship).

He made his first-team debut on 1 February 2007, playing 26 minutes of 2006–07 Coppa Italia) semi-final return leg against Sampdoria at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

On 19 September 2007, Bolzoni, along with Esposito and Puccio, was selected for the first time in the 20-men squad for the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League match against Fenerbahçe. However, he failed to make his debut in the UEFA Champions League, on that day. In the following match against PSV Eindhoven he came on as a substitute for Santiago Solari in the 70th minute, making his first UEFA Champions League appearance.

On 12 December, during an away match against PSV Eindhoven, Bolzoni started his first UEFA Champions League match, and also played the whole 90 minutes. The game ended in 1–0 win for Internazionale.[2]

Bolzoni renewed his contract with the club until 30 June 2012 in 2008.[1]

On 24 May 2009, in a match against Cagliari he made his Serie A debut for Inter coming in as substitute for Cristian Chivu.

Genoa edit

In July 2009, it was announced that Bolzoni had signed for Genoa along with Leonardo Bonucci for €3M each as part of the deal that saw Thiago Motta sign for Internazionale for €10 million.[3]

In August 2009, he was loaned to Frosinone for €200,000.[3][4][5]

Siena edit

In July 2010, Siena signed Bolzoni on loan for €400,000[6] with an option to acquire 50% of his economic rights,[7] fact that occurred on 22 June 2011,[8] for €1,050,000.[6] On 23 June 2012 Siena bought him outright for another €425,000.[9]

Palermo edit

On 31 July 2013, Bolzoni left Siena's pre-season camp[10] and completed the transfer to Palermo on the next day, for €1 million in a 4-year contract.[11]

Novara edit

On 1 February 2016, he was signed by Novara on a free transfer.[12][13]

Spezia edit

On 31 August 2017 Bolzoni joined fellow Serie B club Spezia, with Daniele Sciaudone moved to opposite direction.[14][15][16] Bolzoni was assigned number 7 shirt.[17]

Bari edit

In September 2018, Bolzoni joined newly refounded Serie D club Bari as a free transfer.[18]

Loan to Imolese edit

On 2 September 2019, he joined Serie C club Imolese on loan.[19]

Loan to Lecco edit

On 15 January 2020 he moved to Lecco.[20] The loan was extended for the 2020–21 season on 1 September 2020.[21]

Return to Bari edit

Upon his return from loan, Bolzoni did not make any appearances for Bari in the first half of the 2021–22 season, and on 26 January 2022 his contract with the club was terminated by mutual consent.[22]

Rapperswil-Jona edit

On 28 July 2022, Bolzoni signed with Rapperswil-Jona in the third-tier Swiss Promotion League.[23]

International career edit

On 5 October 2007, Pierluigi Casiraghi called up Bolzoni, although still 18 years old, to form part of the Italy U-21 national team for the matches against Croatia and Greece.[24]

On 21 November 2007, he made his debut for the Italy U-21 national team, in a qualification match against Faroe Islands but did not make the final 23-man squad for the tournament.

Management career edit

In May 2023, Bolzoni announced his retirement from football due to a bad knee.[25] After retiring, Bolzoni was hired as assistant coach under Giuseppe Sannino at FC Paradiso.[26][27]

Honours edit

Inter Youth team

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Bolzoni extends Inter stay". www.inter.it. 15 July 2008.
  2. ^ "PSV Eindhoven vs. F.C. Internazionale Match Report". www.inter.it. 12 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b Genoa CFC Report and Accounts on 31 December 2009 (in Italian)
  4. ^ "L'UNDER 21 BOLZONI VA AL FROSINONE". www.genoacfc.it (in Italian). 17 August 2009.
  5. ^ Genoa CFC Report and Accounts on 31 December 2010 (in Italian)
  6. ^ a b AC Siena Report and Accounts on 30 June 2011 (in Italian)
  7. ^ "Bolzoni in prestito al Siena". www.tuttomercatoweb.com (in Italian). 7 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Bolzoni resta all'A.C.Siena Riscattata la metà del cartellino". www.acsiena.it (in Italian). 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  9. ^ AC Siena SpA Report and Accounts on 30 June 2012 (in Italian)
  10. ^ "Bolzoni ha lasciato il ritiro" (in Italian). AC Siena. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  11. ^ U.S. Città di Palermo S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2013, PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A. (in Italian)
  12. ^ "RISOLUZIONE CONSENSUALE PER BOLZONI" (Press release) (in Italian). Palermo: U.S. Città di Palermo. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ^ "UFFICIALE, BOLZONI E' UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DEL NOVARA" (Press release) (in Italian). Novara: Novara Calcio. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Calciomercato Novara, con lo Spezia scambio Bolzoni-Sciaudone" [Football market Novara, with Spezia exchange Bolzoni–Sciaudone]. Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). Novara. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Mercato: Francesco Bolzoni per la mediana spezzina" [Market: Francesco Bolzoni for the midfield] (Press release) (in Italian). La Spezia: Spezia Calcio. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  16. ^ "Ufficiale: Francesco Bolzoni si trasferisce allo Spezia" [Official: Francesco Bolzoni is transferred to Spezia] (Press release) (in Italian). Novara: Novara Calcio. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  17. ^ "Serie B '17-'18: assegnati i numeri ai nuovi acquisti" [Serie B 17–18: assigns numbers to new signings] (Press release) (in Italian). La Spezia: Spezia Calcio. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Bari, altro colpo di ADL: porta in D l'ex Palermo e Siena Bolzoni" (in Italian). TuttoNapoli.net. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  19. ^ "UFFICIALE: BOLZONI IN PRESTITO DAL BARI" (Press release) (in Italian). Imolese. 2 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale: Francesco Bolzoni nuovo giocatore della Calcio Lecco 1912" (Press release) (in Italian). Lecco. 15 January 2020.
  21. ^ "Ufficiale: Francesco Bolzoni ritorna alla Calcio Lecco 1912" (Press release) (in Italian). Lecco. 1 September 2020.
  22. ^ "Mercato: risoluzione contrattuale per Francesco Bolzoni" (in Italian). Bari. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  23. ^ "FCRJ rüstet auf: Drei Neuzugänge und eine Übernahme" (in German). Rapperswil-Jona. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Italy U21 call-ups for Alfonso, Bolzoni". www.inter.it. 5 October 2007.
  25. ^ L’ex Palermo Bolzoni lascia il calcio: “Un viaggio stupendo iniziato nel 2006”, calciorosanero.it, 28 May 2023
  26. ^ Benvenuti in Paradiso: il club che vola in Svizzera con un ds palermitano, Sannino e Bolzoni, palermotoday.it, 19 May 2023
  27. ^ CALCIO Bolzoni si ritira e inizia la carriera di allenatore con Sannino, ilcittadino.it, 1 June 2023

External links edit