Matias Antonini Lui (born 9 April 1998) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Serie B club Catanzaro.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matias Antonini Lui | ||
| Date of birth | 9 April 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Porto Alegre, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Catanzaro | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Grêmio | |||
| Meda | |||
| 2015–2016 | Inter Milan | ||
| 2016–2018 | Cagliari | ||
| 2018–2020 | Grêmio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020 | Arezzo | 0 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | NibionnOggiono | 29 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Ravenna | 36 | (6) |
| 2022–2024 | Taranto | 57 | (7) |
| 2024– | Catanzaro | 14 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 May 2024 | |||
Career edit
Beginnings edit
Antonini started his career as part of the youth system of Grêmio before moving to Italy to join amateur club Meda.[1] He was subsequently scouted by Inter Milan who signed him for their youth teams.[1] After a few appearances with friendly games for Inter, Antonini left the Nerazzurri for Cagliari, joining the Under-19 Primavera team;[2] he shortly thereafter made his professional first team debut in a 2016–17 Coppa Italia game against Sampdoria ended in a 0–3 away loss, on what turned to be his only senior appearance with the Sardinian club.[3] Despite having served as team captain for the Under-19 team of Cagliari, he was released in July 2018 and then left to move back to Brazil, re-joining Grêmio.[4]
Serie C edit
Arezzo edit
In February 2020, Antonini returned to Italy, joining Serie C club Arezzo.[5]
Serie D edit
NibionnOggiono edit
After failing to make any appearances for Arezzo, he left the Tuscan club to join Serie D club NibionnOggiono, with whom he finally managed to play as a regular.
Ravenna edit
His impressive performances won him the interest of the ambitious Serie D club Ravenna, who signed him in July 2021.[6]
Return to Serie C edit
Taranto edit
In July 2022, Antonini signed for Serie C club Taranto.[7] He quickly affirmed himself as a staple for the Apulians, playing as a regular and being praised for his performances, which gained him a contract extension until 30 June 2025.[8] In the 2023–24 Serie C season, Antonini established himself as one of the best defenders in the league, as well as a prolific goalscorer (with four goals in his first sixteen games),[9] and then being linked to higher division clubs and praised by his manager Ezio Capuano as player with Serie A potential.[10]
Antonini, therefore, experienced the best seasons of his career in Taranto, revealing himself to be a key player for the rossoblù.
Serie B edit
Catanzaro edit
On 21 January 2024, Antonini joined Serie B side Catanzaro for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until June 2027.[11][12]
Personal life edit
Antonini was born and raised in Brazil to a father of Austrian origins and a mother of Italian ancestry.[5]
He also holds Italian citizenship through jus sanguinis.[13]
References edit
- ^ a b "L'interesse di Guardiola e l'esordio a San Siro: la storia di Matias Antonini, pupillo di Figo che segna a Taranto" (in Italian). La Casa di C. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Il giovane Antonini Lui in Primavera" (in Italian). Cagliari Calcio. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "SAMPDORIA AGLI OTTAVI, 3-0 AL CAGLIARI" (in Italian). Eurosport. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Cagliari, Matias Antonini Lui al Gremio" (in Italian). Gianluca Di Marzio. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Arezzo, c'è Antonini per la difesa. Gori a parte, Cutolo squalificato per due turni" (in Italian). ArezzoNotizie.it. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Benvenuto Matias Antonini Lui" (in Italian). Ravenna FC. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Un difensore brasiliano ed un portiere per il Taranto" (in Italian). Corriere di Taranto. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Taranto: Antonini prolunga fino al 2025" (in Italian). Antenna Sud. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Antonini, difensore goleador: sono quattro i gol in campionato" (in Italian). MondoRossoblu.it. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Taranto, Capuano: 'Antonini come Parisi, è da Serie A'" (in Italian). Blunote.it. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "MATIAS ANTONINI È UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DEL CATANZARO" (in Italian). US Catanzaro 1929. 21 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Pasta, Niccolò (21 January 2024). "Il Catanzaro ha un nuovo difensore: Matias Antonini firma fino al 2027". TUTTOmercatoWEB (in Italian). Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Antonini, Cutolo e Dell'Agnello. Dalla sosta l'Arezzo prova a uscire con qualche pedina in più" (in Italian). ArezzoNotizie.it. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
External links edit
- Matias Antonini at Soccerway
- Matias Antonini at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)