Massimo Donati

For the Italian cyclist, see Massimo Donati (cyclist).
Not to be confused with Massimo Donadi.
Massimo Donati

Donati playing for Celtic
Personal information
Full name Massimo Donati
Date of birth (1981-03-26) 26 March 1981
Place of birth San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position Defensive Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Bari
Number 5
Youth career
1998–1999 Atalanta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1999–2001 Atalanta 46 (2)
2001–2007 Milan 17 (0)
2002–2003 → Parma (loan) 7 (1)
2003 → Torino (loan) 17 (4)
2003–2004 → Sampdoria (loan) 19 (0)
2004–2006 → Messina (loan) 67 (2)
2006–2007 → Atalanta (loan) 33 (1)
2007–2009 Celtic 31 (3)
2009–2012 Bari 82 (4)
2012–2013 Palermo 46 (2)
2013–2014 Hellas Verona 20 (1)
2014– Bari 35 (2)
National team
2000–2004 Italy U-21 26 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:11, 1 September 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (goals)

Massimo Donati (born 26 March 1981 in San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy) is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie B club Bari.

Career

From Atalanta to Milan

Donati is a central midfielder and started his career at Atalanta and moved to A.C. Milan in 2001 along with Cristian Zenoni for 60 billion lire in cash plus player deal (Player asset was majority).[2] However, due to the competition at the club, Donati was unable to claim a first team place, spending the 2002–03 season on loan at Parma and then Torino.

His second season (2003–04) at the San Siro saw him join Sampdoria on loan, before enjoying a successful spell at Messina for the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons.

Despite finding his form at Messina, Donati still found himself out of favour at Milan and was sent again on loan for the 2006–07 season, this time to his first club Atalanta.

Celtic

On 29 June 2007, Celtic confirmed the signing of Donati on a four-year contract for a fee of €2million.[3][4] Donati was given the number 18 jersey, vacated by ex-captain Neil Lennon and was unveiled at Celtic Park.[5] He made his Celtic debut in their first league game of the season on 5 August, a 0–0 draw with Kilmarnock.[6] In Celtic's next league game against Falkirk, Donati was involved in his side's equaliser when his shot hit Kenny Milne and went into the net; Celtic won the game 4–1.[7] The following week, Donati grabbed his first competitive Celtic goal with an equalising goal against Aberdeen and later added an assist for Kenny Miller as Celtic won 3–1.[8]

On 28 November, Donati won the match for Celtic in the UEFA Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk, netting in the 92nd minute to win the match 2–1.[9] This result meant Celtic only needed a point away to Donati's former club A.C. Milan in the San Siro to qualify for the last 16 stage of the tournament. Celtic lost 1–0 to Milan,[10] but still qualified for the last 16 as runners-up in their group after Benfica defeated Shakhtar in Ukraine. As the season went on, Donati's form began to dip, resulting in the central midfield positions being changed with Barry Robson and Paul Hartley in place of Donati and Scott Brown. In May 2008, it was reported that Donati wanted to go back to Serie A.[11]

In the 2008–09 season, Donati made only a handful of appearances for Celtic, though he started in the home game against Kilmarnock on 12 November 2008 and won the man of the match award.[12]

After the appointment of Tony Mowbray as Celtic manager, Donati won back his place in the Celtic midfield alongside new signing Landry N'Guemo. Donati played in most of the pre-season games and scored in a 5–0 win over African Champions League winners Al-Ahly in the Wembley Cup. He started the 2009–10 campaign in fine form and scored from a spectacular volley in Celtic's 3–1 loss to Arsenal in the Champions League play-off.[13]

Bari

On 27 August 2009, Donati left Celtic and signed a four-year contract with Serie A newcomers A.S. Bari.[14][15]

Palermo

On 18 January 2012, Donati was transferred from Bari in Serie B to Palermo in Serie A.

Verona

In June 2013, Donati was signed by Hellas Verona F.C..[16]

Bari

On 26 August 2014, Donati was transferred back to Bari.[17] He scored his first goal in the 2014/15 Serie B on the 13th September 2014, during the match against Frosinone (final score 1-1).

Honours

Celtic

References

  1. ↑ "Scheda anagrafica di Massimo Donati" (in Italian). AIC.football.it. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Antonello Capone, Andrea Masala (3 June 2001). "Il Milan ha in pugno Thuram e Inzaghi". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  3. ↑ AC Milan Spa 2007 Annual Report (Italian)
  4. ↑ Reuters UK (25 June 2007). "Celtic sign Donati from Milan". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Celtic F.C. (28 June 2007). "Massimo Donati passes Celtic medical". Retrieved 28 June 2007.
  6. ↑ Moffat, Colin (5 August 2007). "Celtic 0–0 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport.
  7. ↑ Conaghan, Martin (11 August 2007). "Falkirk 1–4 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  8. ↑ McGuigan, Thomas (19 August 2007). "Aberdeen 1–3 Celtic". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  9. ↑ Lindsay, Clive (28 November 2007). "Celtic 2–1 Shakhtar Donetsk". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  10. ↑ Moffat, Colin (4 December 2007). "AC Milan 1–0 Celtic". BBC Sport (BBC).
  11. ↑ "Massimo Donati wants talks over Celtic future after Italian interest claims". The Daily Record. 28 May 2008.
  12. ↑ Murray, Keir (12 November 2008). "Celtic 3–0 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 12 November 2008.
  13. ↑ McNulty, Phil (26 August 2009). "Arsenal 3 – 1 Celtic (agg 5 – 1)". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  14. ↑ "Donati al Bari: è fatta". asbari.it (in Italian) (AS Bari). 27 August 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Bari secure Donati transfer deal". BBC Sport (BBC). 30 August 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  16. ↑ "Ufficiale: Massimo Donati in gialloblù" (in Italian). Hellas Verona FC. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  17. ↑ MASSIMO DONATI TORNA A BARI, A TITOLO DEFINITIVO DAL VERONA Fcbari1908.club

External links

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