Alessandro Potenza
Encyclopedia
Alessandro Potenza is an Italian football
defender, who currently plays for Calcio Catania
of the Italian Serie A
.
, and was called up to the first team squad for the 2002–2003 Serie A
season. He only made one appearance for Inter's first team in a Coppa Italia
match against A.S. Bari
, 4 December 2002.
side Ancona
, to gain experience. After finding playing time limited at Ancona
, he was loaned out to Serie A
outfit Parma
. With Parma
, he found more success and plenty of first team action. In 2005 Inter loaned him out to another Serie A
side. This time it was Chievo
. After another decent campaign, Spanish side Mallorca
wanted to bring Potenza out to La Liga
. Again, Inter opted to loan him out. After yet another fairly impressive season, he caught the eye of Serie A
side Fiorentina
, who wanted to bring the player back to Italy.
team, he found plenty of playing time, and even some first team action. During the 2007/2008 Serie A
season, Potenza found playing time very hard to find and was seldom used in the starting XI. In the summer of 2008, Fiorentina
decided to sell the player to Genoa CFC.
In the first half of the 2008/2009 Serie A
season, Potenza also found playing time hard to come by with the Genoa
based team.
. On 31 January 2009, it was confirmed that Potenza had joined Calcio Catania
, in a co-ownership deal. He was brought in to strengthen the defensive line of the southern team, who are pushing for UEFA Cup
football next season. As a result of his arrival, Gennaro Sardo
was sent out on loan from Catania to relegation battlers Chievo Verona. Potenza instantly earned his starting place under coach Walter Zenga
, and began the season as a starter under coach Gianluca Atzori
, but after a mid-season injury, the right back has yet to gain a regular starting position in the team, under coach Siniša Mihajlović
, who led Catania from 20th to 12th in the Serie A
league table, in his first 5 months in charge. In August 2011, Catania signed the full ownership of the right back. Potenza was part of the 2010-11 Serie A side that finished 13th in the standings and broke Catania's record points total for the third consecutive season.
team, as well as 2 caps for the Italy U-20 team. His international career took off with the Italy U-21
team, where he made a total of 27 appearances, along with having the delite of scoring a single goal.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
defender, who currently plays for Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
of the Italian Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
.
FC Internazionale Milano
Potenza came from the youth system of InternazionaleF.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, and was called up to the first team squad for the 2002–2003 Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
season. He only made one appearance for Inter's first team in a Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
match against A.S. Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
, 4 December 2002.
Loan Spells
In 2003 he was loaned out to Serie BSerie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
side Ancona
A.C. Ancona
Associazione Calcio Ancona was a professional Italian football club, based in Ancona, Marche. It was founded in 1905 as Unione Sportiva Anconitana, changing its name to Ancona Calcio 1905 in 1981 and being refounded in 2004 with its last denomination....
, to gain experience. After finding playing time limited at Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, he was loaned out to Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
outfit Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
. With Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, he found more success and plenty of first team action. In 2005 Inter loaned him out to another Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
side. This time it was Chievo
A.C. ChievoVerona
Associazione Calcio Chievo Verona is a professional Italian football club named after and based in Chievo, a suburb of 2,800 inhabitants in Verona, Veneto, and owned by Paluani, a cake company and the inspiration for their original name, Paluani Chievo...
. After another decent campaign, Spanish side Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
wanted to bring Potenza out to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
. Again, Inter opted to loan him out. After yet another fairly impressive season, he caught the eye of Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
side Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, who wanted to bring the player back to Italy.
ACF Fiorentina – Genoa CFC
In 2006, Fiorentina made a bid for the player, and Inter Milan decided to sell the young talent. In his early stages with the TuscanTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
team, he found plenty of playing time, and even some first team action. During the 2007/2008 Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
season, Potenza found playing time very hard to find and was seldom used in the starting XI. In the summer of 2008, Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
decided to sell the player to Genoa CFC.
In the first half of the 2008/2009 Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
season, Potenza also found playing time hard to come by with the Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
based team.
Calcio Catania
During the 2009 winter transfer market, Potenza was looking for a way out of the side from LiguriaLiguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
. On 31 January 2009, it was confirmed that Potenza had joined Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
, in a co-ownership deal. He was brought in to strengthen the defensive line of the southern team, who are pushing for UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
football next season. As a result of his arrival, Gennaro Sardo
Gennaro Sardo
Gennaro Sardo is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Chievo in the Italian Serie A.-Early Career:Sardo started his professional career in 1997 when he played for A.S. Palmese Calcio. In 1998, he moved on loan to S.S.C. Giugliano. He played 16 total games with the club. He would then...
was sent out on loan from Catania to relegation battlers Chievo Verona. Potenza instantly earned his starting place under coach Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
, and began the season as a starter under coach Gianluca Atzori
Gianluca Atzori
Gianluca Atzori is an Italian football manager and former player. He last served as head coach of Serie B outfit Sampdoria.-Playing:...
, but after a mid-season injury, the right back has yet to gain a regular starting position in the team, under coach Siniša Mihajlović
Siniša Mihajlovic
Siniša Mihajlović is a Serbian football manager and former player. He was in charge of Serie A club Fiorentina since June 2010 to November 2011....
, who led Catania from 20th to 12th in the Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
league table, in his first 5 months in charge. In August 2011, Catania signed the full ownership of the right back. Potenza was part of the 2010-11 Serie A side that finished 13th in the standings and broke Catania's record points total for the third consecutive season.
International career
Potenza has 9 caps with the Italy U-19Italy national under-19 football team
The Italy national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, held every year....
team, as well as 2 caps for the Italy U-20 team. His international career took off with the Italy U-21
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
team, where he made a total of 27 appearances, along with having the delite of scoring a single goal.
Awards
- 2003 UEFA U-19 Championship
- 2004 UEFA U-21 Championship