Paolo Castelli (born 3 January 1980) is an Italian

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

coach and a former

goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...

. He spent his most of his career in the

Prima Divisione Prima Divisione (''First Division'') was the name of the first level of the Italian Football Championship from 1921 to 1926. The competition was initially founded in opposition to the FIGC by the richest clubs of Northern Italy, which disagreed the ...

, seasons in the

Seconda Divisione Seconda Divisione (''Second Division'') was the name of the second level of the Italian Football Championship from 1921 to 1926. The competition was initially founded in opposition to the FIGC by the clubs of Northern Italy, which disagreed the ...

and seasons in

Serie B The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...

. (3rd, 4th and 2nd highest division respectively).

Career

Born in

Cittiglio Cittiglio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italy, Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about northwest of Varese. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,817 and an area of .All dem ...

, Lombardy, Castelli started his career at

Internazionale Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Since 1 ...

. He spent 2 seasons on loan at Lombardy side Pro Sesto, then sold to

Cagliari Cagliari (, , ; ; ; Latin: ''Caralis'') is an Comune, Italian municipality and the capital and largest city of the island of Sardinia, an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy. It has about 146,62 ...

in co-ownership deal. In 2001–02 season, he was loaned back to Lombardy for

Varese Varese ( , ; or ; ; ; archaic ) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 was 80,559. It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or exurban part ...

. And in June 2002 bought back by Inter after an auction between the two clubs. He then left on loan to Serie C1 club Reggiana, where he rejoined ex-Inter teammate Raffaele Nuzzo. With Nuzzo and

Luca Mondini Luca Mondini (born 25 February 1970) is a former Italian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Career Mondini started his professional career at Internazionale. After he was loaned to Serie C1 clubs, he joined Vicenza which newly promoted to ...

, Castelli worked as the 3rd choice keeper and in January 2003 left for Reggiana's league rival

Prato Prato ( ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') in Tuscany, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Prato. The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of , at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana ch ...

, as understudy of Alessio Sarti. Since the left for Sarti, Castelli became the starting keeper for Prato. In 2004–05 season he left for Serie C1 side

Spezia La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguri ...

along with forward

Nicola Napolitano Nicola Napolitano may refer to: *Nicola Napolitano (brigand) (1838–1863), also known by the nickname of ''Caprariello'', brigand in the area of Avellino *Nicola Napolitano (footballer) (born 1983), Italian football midfielder {{hndis, Napolitano ...

, which at that time the club partially owned by Inter. He worked as the backup of Hugo Daniel Rubini who spent previous 5 seasons as first choice except 2003–04 season. In January 2005, he left the club after Spezia signed keeper

Alex Cordaz Alex Cordaz (born 1 January 1983) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Vigne. Career Inter Milan Cordaz started his career at Inter Milan. In the 2001–02 season, he was the regular selection ahead of Mathieu Mor ...

from Inter. At Vittoria, Spezia's league rival, he was the backup of Giancarlo Petrocco. In July 2005, he left for

Lecco Lecco (, , ; ) is a city of approximately 47,000 inhabitants in Lombardy, Northern Italy, north of Milan. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como (the branch is named ''Branch of Lecco'' / ''Ramo di Lecco''). The Bergamasqu ...

, his first Serie C2 club and Lombardy club since leaving Pro Sesto in 2000 and Varese in 2002 respectively. He competed with Maurizio Monguzzi for the first choice position but in January 2006 left for Serie C1 and Lombardy side Pro Patria. In summer 2006, Castelli remained in Serie C1 and Lombardy, joined Lucchese along with Inter teammate Mathieu Moreau (which Moreau already spent previous season on loan). He worked as understudy of Alex Brunner and then Massimo Gazzoli. After the fold of Lucchese in 2008, on 22 September 2008, he joined

Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. A town, and seat of an archbis ...

(the first Serie B club since leaving Cagliari), which Castelli had been trailed since 11 September. Originally a backup of Giorgio Frezzolini, he played as first choice since round 26, a 3–0 won

Empoli Empoli () is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy, about southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno River, Arno in a plain formed by the river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Ancient Ro ...

as starter on 16 February 2009, after the injury of Frezzolini. In although Frezzolini recovered, Castelli remained in starting XI. But on 16 May 2009, a 1–4 lost to

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

(later the champion), he was sent off in the 65th minutes and suspended for 1 match. Frezzolini thus returned to starting XI and secured 2 straight win and 1 clean sheet for Modena to win the relegation battle, finished as the 15th, just 1 point higher than

Rimini Rimini ( , ; or ; ) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Sprawling along the Adriatic Sea, Rimini is situated at a strategically-important north-south passage along the coast at the southern tip of the Po Valley. It is ...

the 18th which Rimini eventually lost in relegation playoff and relegated. He was then without a club for 7 months, and on 1 February 2010 signed a contract until end of season with Serie B newcomer

Crotone Crotone (; ; or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Calabria, Italy. Founded as the Achaean colony of Kroton ( or ; ), it became a great Greek city, home of the renowned mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras amongst other famous citizens, and one ...

. He then worked as an understudy of Emanuele Concetti along with young keeper Simone Farelli. On 19 August 2010 he was signed by

Como Como (, ; , or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Nestled at the southwestern branch of the picturesque Lake Como, the city is a renowned tourist destination, ce ...

. On 29 August 2011 he left for

Monza Monza (, ; ; , locally ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the Lambro, River Lambro, a tributary of the Po (river), River Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the province of Mo ...

Honours

;Spezia *

Coppa Italia Serie C Coppa Italia Serie C (), formerly named Coppa Italia Lega Pro, is a straight knock-out based competition involving teams from Serie C in Italian football first held in 1972. Format There are a total of six rounds in the competition. It begins i ...

: 2004–05

References

External links

*
Profile at Lega-Calcio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castelli, Paolo 1980 births Living people People from Cittiglio Footballers from the Province of Varese Italian men's footballers Men's association football goalkeepers Inter Milan players Pro Sesto 1913 players Cagliari Calcio players SSD Varese Calcio players AC Reggiana 1919 players AC Prato players Spezia Calcio players ASD Calcio Club Vittoria 2020 players Calcio Lecco 1912 players Aurora Pro Patria 1919 players Lucchese 1905 players Modena FC 2018 players FC Crotone players US Folgore Caratese ASD players AC Renate players Serie B players Serie C players Serie D players 21st-century Italian sportsmen