Giuseppe Mascara

Giuseppe Mascara

Personal information
Date of birth	(1979-08-22) 22 August 1979
Place of birth	Caltagirone, Italy
Height
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Siracusa
Number	7
Youth career
1994–1995	Comiso
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1997	Ragusa	29	(5)
1997–2000	Battipagliese	48	(10)
2000–2001	Avellino	29	(16)
2001	Salernitana	1	(1)
2001–2003	Palermo	38	(9)
2002–2003	→ Genoa (loan)	13	(2)
2003–2011	Catania	226	(58)
2004–2005	→ Perugia (loan)	37	(4)
2011–2012	Napoli	21	(4)
2012	Novara	15	(3)
2012–2013	Al Nasr	22	(13)
2013–2014	Pescara	27	(4)
2014–	Siracusa	24	(14)
International career
2009	Italy	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 April 2015

Giuseppe Mascara (born 22 August 1979 in Caltagirone) is an Italian professional football player currently playing for Siracusa in the Eccellenza Sicily. He is equally adept at playing as a striker or as a wide forward.

Club career

U.S. Ragusa

Mascara started out playing for the youth side of Sicilian amateurs P.D. Comiso before transferring to nearby club U.S. Ragusa to start his professional career with. Here, he earned some valuable experience over a two season period, turning out for the first team and netting 5 goals in 29 appearances.

U.S. Battipagliese

Successively, Mascara moved to the mainland, joining Campanian side U.S. Battipagliese in 1997, and remained with the then-Serie C1 club until June 2000, playing just under 50 games for them also scoring 67 goals. Following his impressive 3 season stint with the club, he transferred to another Campanian team, Avellino.

US Avellino and Salernitana Calcio

Following his 2000 transfer to Avellino, Mascara was soon a big hit at the southern Italian club, where he strongly impressed during his lone season with the club, securing 16 goals in 29 games. He then briefly moved to nearby rivals, Salernitana Calcio 1919 scoring in his only appearance for the club, before moving back to Sicily with U.S. Città di Palermo.

U.S. Città di Palermo

In January 2001, Mascara officially transferred to U.S. Città di Palermo, in his return to Sicily. The club had just been promoted back into Serie B. Mascara began his career well in the Sicilian capital, grabbing 8 Serie B goals, in 38 league appearances. In his second and final season with Palermo, Mascara was sent on loan with Genoa C.F.C.. With the Ligurian club, Mascara made just 13 league starts, scoring just twice in the process. Hence, he returned to Palermo, but was transfer listed and soon signed for Sicilian rivals, Calcio Catania.

Calcio Catania

In July 2003, officially moved to Calcio Catania, which was a return home, as he was actually born in the Province of Catania. During his first season with the club, who at that point were still in the Serie B, Mascara was an undisputed starter as the player went on to make 41 league appearances and scored 13 goals. Following an impressive first season in Catania, the player was surprisingly sent out on loan for the 2004–05 Serie B season, playing for Perugia Calcio. During his season long loan, Mascara made 37 league appearances with 4 goals to his tally. Mascara returned to Sicily for the 2005–2006 Serie B season, where Catania went on to finish second in the league, earning promotion to the Serie A. Mascara contributed with 14 goals in 36 appearances following his return. In his first Serie A season, the 26-year-old Mascara, formed a formidable partnership with Gionatha Spinesi, as the duo led Catania to an impressive 13th-place finish. Mascara ended his season with 6 league goals in 28 starts. In his second Serie A season, Mascara again impressed, making 35 league appearances with 4 goals, playing the season as a second striker. The player shined during the 2008–2009 Serie A campaign, scoring 12 goals in just 34 appearances. That tally also increases to 15 goals, counting the Coppa Italia. It was to date, Mascara's most successful season, under then-coach Walter Zenga. On 1 March 2009, Mascara scored a remarkable goal in the Sicilian derby away to Palermo at Stadio Renzo Barbera, taking a long lobbed shot, on the volley, from around 55 meters out which left Italian international goalkeeper Marco Amelia falling back into his own net. Catania went on to win that match 0–4 courtesy of goals from Pablo Ledesma, Takayuki Morimoto, Mascara, and Michele Paolucci. The goal was later nominated as Serie A goal of the season. Mascara has remained a prominent member of the Catania side, since helping them gain promotion from Serie B in the 2005–06 season. The 2009–10 season also proved to be a successful one, as his club clearly avoided relegation, finishing in 12th position, reaching the club's points total record in Serie A. Mascara was his club's fourth top goalscorer, with 8 goals, behind Maxi Lopez (12), Takayuki Morimoto (12), and Jorge Andres Martinez (9). To date he has played over 150 matches, and has been one of their best players in their current spell in the Italian top flight. Mascara also sports the captain's armband the rossazzurri.

S.S.C. Napoli

On 31 January 2011, the final day of the January transfer window, Mascara signed for Napoli for a fee of €1.3 million, signing a contract until 2013. He made his debut on 6 February 2011 against Cesena, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute for Marek Hamšík. in this game he supplied an assist to Jose Sosa to make the score 2–0. Mascara made his career European debut on 17 February in a 0–0 against Villareal in the Europa League, a game in which he started. Mascara's first goal for the azzurri came on 10 April 2011, scoring the first in a 0–2 victory over Bologna.

Novara

On 11 January 2012, he signed for Novara signing a contract until 2014.

Al Nasr

On 24 June 2012, Former Napoli and Catania striker Mascara joined UAE club Al Nasr on a one-year deal pending a successful medical. Mascara is being targeted by Al Nasr boss Walter Zenga after former Italy international Luca Toni asked to leave the club after a poor form in the first six months of his one-year stay in Dubai. The contract for Mascara, who spent last term at Novara, failing to help them stay in Serie A, was understood to include an option for a further season. On 5 July 2012 Novara announced that his contract was finally terminated. On 5 October 2012, he broke the deadlock and scored his first 2 goals with Al Nasr helping his team in an away 4–2 victory over Al Shabab Al Arabi.

International career

Following his impressive performances with Catania in the 2008–09 season, Mascara received his first call-up to the Italian national football team for the 6 June 2009 friendly game against Northern Ireland, together with teammate Marco Biagianti. Mascara played the entire first half of the game, becoming the first Catania player to mark an appearance with the Italian team.