Mirko Valdifiori

Mirko Valdifiori
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-04-21) 21 April 1986
Place of birth Russi, Italy
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Central midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Napoli
Number 6
Youth career
Cesena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2004–2008 Cesena 3 (0)
2006–2007 → Pavia (loan) 24 (0)
2007–2008 → Legnano (loan) 17 (0)
2008–2015 Empoli[1] 234 (4)
2015– Napoli 4 (0)
National team‡
2015– Italy 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 December 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 March 2015

Mirko Valdifiori (born 21 April 1986) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Napoli and the Italian national team.

He is the sixth most capped player to play for Empoli.

Club career

Cesena

Born in Russi, Romagna, Valdifiori started his professional career at Romagnol club Cesena. His debut for Cesena came on 14 May 2005, in a 3-3 away from home draw with Genoa in 2004–05 Serie B. He made one further appearance that season, in the last round. The following season, the 2005-06 season, the youngster made just one appearance off the bench. To find more regular playing time, the player went out on loan to Pavia for the 2006-07 season where he made 24 Serie C1 appearances that season. The following season he went out on loan once more, this time to Legnano, who were then in Serie C1 and made 17 appearances for the side that season. In 2007–08 Serie B season also saw the relegation of Cesena to Lega Pro Prima Divisione (ex–Serie C1).

Empoli

In June 2008, Cesena sold Valdifiori to Serie B team Empoli in a co-ownership deal for €520,000.[2][3] The defensive midfielder immediately became an important part of the first team at Empoli, playing 32 games in the 2008-09 season, as Empoli achieved a Serie B playoff spot for promotion, but unfortunately lost out to Brescia over two legs. In June 2009 Empoli signed Valdifiori outright for another €800,000.[4][5]

The 2009–10 Serie B season was similarly strong for Valdifiori, who made 36 appearances and even managed his first professional goal - the 2nd in a 2-0 win over former side Cesena.

In the 2010–11 Serie B season, Valdifiori remained a vital part of the Empoli set up, appearing in 38 matches, including his 100th for Empoli which came against Novara on the 8 April 2011. He also scored a career high two goals that season, with both of his strikes earning draws for his side.

In the 2011–12 Serie B season, the midfield maestro sat out for a long period of time, missing rounds 21-36 of the Serie B season due to injury. Empoli finished in the relegation playoff zone this season, but fortunately managed an aggregate 3-2 win over Vicenza.

Empoli had a great 2012–13 Serie B season, surprising everyone by managing to turn around their form from last season and having a healthy Valdifiori throughout was vital, as the holding midfielder made 42 appearances, including 1 goal and 6 assists. Empoli finished in the playoff spots and beat Novara in the first playoff but lost to Livorno in the following playoff, falling one step short of promotion to Serie A.

Promotion was finally achieved for Empoli in 2013–14 Serie B and Valdifiori was a key part of the success, managing 8 assists in 40 appearances that season.

In the 2014–15 Serie A season, Valdifiori finally made his Serie A debut in a 2-0 Round 1 loss to Udinese. In Round 4, he was sent off against A.C. Milan after receiving two yellow cards one after the other in the 85th and 86th minute. In his Round 6 return against Palermo, he assisted twice to help his side to a 3-0 win over Palermo, their first Serie A win that season. He captained Empoli for the first time in Round 19, in a 0-0 draw against Internazionale.

Napoli

On 20 June 2015, Valdifiori officially joined Napoli[6] for a reported fee of €5.5 million joining former Empoli coach Sarri at Napoli and becoming Maurizio Sarri's very first signing at Napoli after having a very successful first season in the Italian top flight at Empoli and getting his first call up for the Italian national team by Italian national team coach Antonio Conte. Valdifiori signed a four-year contract which will earn him €900,000 a season.[7]

International career

In March 2015, he was called up by Antonio Conte to the Italy squad for the first time, for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Bulgaria and a friendly against England.[8] On 31 March 2015 he made his debut in the latter match against England, starting the 1–1 draw at Juventus Stadium in Turin and making way for Marco Verratti after 67 minutes.[9]

Style of play

A creative, right-footed midfielder with good vision, Valdifiori's preferred role is as a deep-lying playmaker in front of the defence, where he is able to utilise his passing ability to set the tempo of his team's play, and create scoring opportunities for team-mates. Although not known for scoring goals, he is also an accurate set-piece taker.[10] His style of play is inspired by Andrea Pirlo.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 242 (4) when considering the play-offs and play-out.
  2. ↑ AC Cesena SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2008, PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA (Italian)
  3. ↑ Empoli FC SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2008, PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA (Italian)
  4. ↑ AC Cesena SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2009, PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA (Italian)
  5. ↑ Empoli FC SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2009, PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA (Italian)
  6. ↑ "Visite mediche e firma del contratto per Mirko Valdifiori" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  7. ↑ http://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/6/18/8800259/mirko-valdifiori-napoli-transfer-empoli-5-million
  8. ↑ "Nazionale, Conte chiama Eder, Vazquez e Valdifiori per Bulgaria e Inghilterra" [National team, Conte calls up Éder, Vázquez and Valdifiori for Bulgaria and England]. La Gazetta dello Sport. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Italy 1-1 England". BBC Sport. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Michele Furlan (18 March 2015). "TATTICA DEL MERCATO - Milan e Napoli, Valdifiori: esperienza e qualità a centrocampo" (in Italian). Calcio Mercato. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  11. ↑ Guido Barucco (24 March 2015). "Italia, Valdifiori: “Un orgoglio essere qui, ho tanto da imparare. Pirlo il mio modello. Futuro? Piedi per terra”" (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2015.

External links

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