Cesare Natali

Cesare Natali

Personal information
Date of birth	5 April 1979
Place of birth	Bergamo, Italy
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Playing position	Central Defender
Youth career
1997–1998	Atalanta
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1998–2005	Atalanta	69	(2)
1998–1999	→ Lecco (loan)	22	(1)
2001	→ Monza (loan)	11	(1)
2003–2004	→ Bologna (loan)	31	(0)
2005–2007	Udinese	51	(1)
2007–2009	Torino	50	(3)
2009–2012	Fiorentina	56	(2)
2012–2014	Bologna	37	(1)
2015	Sassuolo	3	(0)
National team^‡
2002	Italy U-21	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 May 2007

Cesare Natali (born 5 April 1979) is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender.

Career

Atalanta

Natali started his career at Atalanta. He scored the opening goal in the relegation playoffs second legs in June 2003, but Atalanta eventually lost 1–2 and relegated to Serie B.^[2] On 30 August 2003, Natali and Fausto Rossini were sold to Bologna^[3] in co-ownership deal. In June 2004, Natali and Rossini were re-signed by Atalanta. He was the regular of the team, partnered again with Gianpaolo Bellini and Luigi Sala.

Atalanta relegated again in June 2005.

Udinese

On 29 June 2005, he was signed by Udinese in a 5-year contact,^[4] to rejoin team mate Piermario Morosini (50% for undisclosed fee), Massimo Gotti (undisclosed fee), Marco Motta (50% for €2.05 million), Fausto Rossini (50% for €450,000).^[5] However, Atalanta also signed Thomas Manfredini and Antonino D'Agostino from Udinese for a total of €2 million.^[6][7][8]

He was the regular of the team but suffered from fractured left ankle in September.^[9]

He made 32 starts during the 2006–07 season.^[10]

Torino

Since the signing of Aleksandar Luković, In July 2007, he was sold to Torino, signed a 4-year contract.^[11] He was the regular until injured in March 2008.^[12]

Fiorentina

On 4 July 2009, he was signed by ACF Fiorentina from relegated Torino, for €2.8 million,^[13][14] concurrentlly Torino signed Simone Loria as replacement. He signed a 3-year contract.

On 20 October 2009, he played his first game for Fiorentina, at UEFA Champions League 2009–10 versus Debreceni VSC, replacing Dario Dainelli at half time. After the departure of Dainelli to Genoa in January, and the fitness problems of Alessandro Gamberini, Per Krøldrup and new signing Felipe, along with tactical rotation, he earned more chances to play, including the Champions league match against FC Bayern Munich.^[15]

Natali scored his first goal for Fiorentina on 29 January 2012, netting the second in a 2–1 victory over derby rivals Siena.^[16]

He scored his second soon after on 25 March against Genoa in the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. His header put Fiorentina 2–1 in front, however the match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Bologna

On 26 July 2012, Natali returned to Bologna for a second spell on a two-year contract.

Sassuolo

On 3 March 2015 he was signed by Sassuolo as a free agent.^[17]

International career

Along with Gianpaolo Bellini, team-mate at Atalanta, they were call-up to 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. They partnered all 3 group matches (including 1 substitute appearance) at the tournament.

In March 2004, he received his only call-up to national team, to replace injured Marcello Castellini.^[18]

Club

As of 25 March 2012

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Europe		Total
1998–99	Lecco	Serie C1	22	1					22	1
1999–00	Atalanta	Serie B	1	0	1	0			2	0
2000–01		Serie A	0	0	1	0			1	0
2000–01	Monza	Serie B	11	1					11	1
2001–02	Atalanta	Serie A	7	0	2	0			9	0
2002–03			27	1	1	0			30^1	2^1
2003–04	Bologna		31	0	0	0			31	0
2004–05	Atalanta		34	1	5	0			39	1
2005–06	Udinese		19	1	3	0	5	1	27	2
2006–07			32	0	3	1			35	1
2007–08	Torino		24	1	3	0			27	1
2008–09			26	2	3	1			29	3
2009–10	Fiorentina		14	0	4	0	3	0	21	0
2010–11			16	0					16	0
2011–12			26	2	2	0			28	2
Career total			290	10	27	2	8	1	328^1	14^1

¹Include 2 matches and 1 goal at Relegation Play-offs

References

1. "Cesare Natali". soccerway.com. Retrieved 2009.
2. "Reggina recovery stuns Atalanta". UEFA.com. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
3. "Cruz completes Inter move". UEFA.com. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
4. "Udinese chance for Natali". UEFA.com. 29 June 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
5. "Udinese sign Atalanta quartet". UEFA.com. 27 June 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
6. Atalanta B.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2006 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
7. Atalanta B.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2007 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
8. Atalanta B.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2008 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
9. "Natali nightmare for Udinese". UEFA.com. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
10. 2006–07 La Gazzetta dello Sport
11. "Il Torino acquista Natali" (in Italian). Torino FC. 4 July 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2009. Il Torino Football Club S.p.A. è lieto di comunicare di aver acquisito a titolo definitivo dall'Udinese Calcio S.p.A. il diritto alle prestazioni sportive del calciatore Cesare Natali fino al 30 giugno 2011.
12. "Natali, frattura del quinto metatarso del piede destro" (in Italian). Torino FC. 26 March 2008. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
13. ACF Fiorentina Report and Accounts on 31 December 2009 (Italian)
14. "Acquisito Natali" (in Italian). violachannel.tv/. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
15. "Line-ups: Felipe doesn't make it". football-italia.net. 17 February 2010. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
16. "Fiorentina win Tuscan derby".
17. "Ingaggiato Cesare Natali" (in Italian). U.S. Sassuolo Calcio. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
18. "Zidane misses Rotterdam trip". UEFA.com. 29 March 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2009.

External links

• Profile at ACF Fiorentina official site
• FIGC (Italian)