Lorenzo Squizzi

Lorenzo Squizzi (born 20 June 1974) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Squizzi started his career at Serie A team Juventus, but spent most of his career in the lower divisions. In summer 2006, he signed for his second Serie A club Chievo.

Career

Early career

Born in Domodossola, Piedmont, Squizzi started his career at Juventus, the club giant of the region. In 1994–95 season, he worked as Angelo Peruzzi's backup, along with Michelangelo Rampulla. He played the final match of the season, which ''Le Zebre'' already secured the title weeks before. In the next season he left for Serie C1 club SPAL, where he worked as Oriano Boschin's backup. In 1996–97 season, he left for Atletico Catania, where he helped the club reach the semi-final of the promotion playoffs.

Lucchese

Squizzi secured a long-term contract with Serie B club Lucchese, where he helped the league struggler avoided relegation in the first season. In the second season, the poor scoring record made the club finished the second from the bottom, made Squizzi had to search another club.

Salernitana

Squizzi joined Salernitana which newly relegated from Serie A in a co-ownership deal, which also saw Ciro Polito moved to opposite direction. He worked as Fabrizio Lorieri's backup, ahead youth product Rosario Niosi, Lorieri himself also a new signing but from Serie A club Lecce. He survived in mid-season sale, which saw Salernitana reduced the number of goalkeeper from 5 to 3 by sending ex-no.2 Andrea Ivan and youth product Crescenzo De Vito to Livorno and Giugliano respectively. But after Salernitana failed to return to Serie A, all goalkeeper were left the club and replaced by Salvatore Soviero, Domenico Botticella and youth product Raffaele Coscia. Ciro Polito, who was bought back from Lucchese, also transferred to Avellino.

Serie C1 (2000–03)

In November 2000, Squizzi signed for Reggiana. He quickly became the first choice, ahead of Raffaele Nuzzo. With club they survived in the relegation play-out.

In the next season he secured another long-term contract with newly relegated side Monza, ahead of Luca Davide Righi and youth product Daniele Mandelli. But the team-mate failed to score into opponent nets once again made Squizzi tasted relegation.

In the next season he was loaned to Cesena as the first-choice goalkeeper, ahead Francesco Musarra and Davide Bertaccini, replacing Nicola Santoni who left for Palermo. He concerned only 29 goals in the season, ranked 2 least among the teams, behind Pisa. Although his team finished third and Pisa finished fourth, the team lost to Pisa in promotion playoffs semi-finals.

Catania

Due to Monza failing to win promotion, on 29 August 2003 Squizzi secured a move to Catania of Serie B, ahead Emanuele Concetti, Paolo Mancini (joined in January) and youth product Gaetano Romano as first choice. He concerned only 29 goals in 29 league matches with 11 clean sheets, but after injured in March, Concetti and Mancini concerned 15 goals in 9 league matches with 4 clean sheets and 4 goals in 4 matches with 1 clean sheet respectively between round 33 to 45. Squizzi returned to field on the last round, played 77 minutes as starter without concerned a goal, before replaced by Mancini. The match ended in 2–0 won to the second club ranked from the bottom.

Perugia

His performance made Perugia, which newly relegated to Serie B, sign him to provide extra cover for Australian international Željko Kalac. He conceded 9 goals in 14 matches, with Kalac conceding 25 goals in 29 matches. Squizzi also played all 4 promotion playoffs that lost to Torino in the finals. But Perugia was expelled from Serie B due to financial problem.

Chievo

In August 2005 Squizzi signed for Chievo, his second Serie A club, initially as backup of Alberto Fontana, along with youth product Enrico Alfonso. But in the first match of the season, he replaced Fontana at half time, after Chievo concerned a goal from David Trezeguet, of his former team Juve. In that season, he occasionally played 12 league matches, 9 of them were starter.

In the next season, the club signed Vincenzo Sicignano from relegated Lecce to replace Fontana who left for Palermo. But Squizzi was promoted to first choice in the 2 round (ahead youth product Mattia Passarini) and played one UEFA Cup match verse Sporting Braga. In the round 7 Sicignano regained his place but in February Squizzi restored as first choice, ahead his former team-mate Emanuele Concetti who signed in mid-season. Although Sicignano and Squizzi concerned 24 goals each, and ranked mid-table by terms of goals concerned, Chievo poor goal scoring, partially due to the left of Amauri, made Sicignano and Squizzi once again tasted relegation.

At Serie B, Squizzi secured his place as first choice, ahead Gabriele Aldegani and Mattia Passarini. He won Serie B champion with team and returned to Serie A.

Since the signing of Stefano Sorrentino in July 2008 and turned to age 34, he worked as backup goalkeeper again, along with Gabriele Aldegani (2008–09) and Michał Miśkiewicz (2009–10).

On 7 June 2010, Chievo announced Squizzi had signed a new one-year contract. He extended his contract again in July 2011 and 2012.

Honours

Juventus
*Serie A: 1994–95
*Coppa Italia: 1994–95

Chievo
*Serie B: 2007–08

References

External links

Profile at Football.it


Profile at La Gazzetta dello Sport


Profile at Chievo

{{DEFAULTSORT:Squizzi, Lorenzo
1974 births
Living people
People from Domodossola
Italian men's footballers
Men's association football goalkeepers
Juventus FC players
SPAL players
Lucchese 1905 players
US Salernitana 1919 players
AC Reggiana 1919 players
AC Monza players
AC Cesena players
Catania FC players
AC Perugia Calcio players
AC ChievoVerona players
Serie A players
Serie B players
Serie C players
Footballers from the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola