Stefano Bettarini

Stefano Bettarini

Personal information
Date of birth	(1972-02-06) 6 February 1972
Place of birth	Forlì, Italy
Height
Position(s)	Left-back
Youth career
	Staggia Senese
1990–1991	Internazionale
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1991–1992	Internazionale	0	(0)
1991–1992	→ Baracca Lugo (loan)	24	(2)
1992–1994	Lucchese	28	(0)
1994–1995	Salernitana	5	(0)
1995–1996	Lucchese	34	(2)
1996–1997	Cagliari	32	(0)
1997–1999	Fiorentina	18	(0)
1999	→ Bologna (loan)	14	(1)
1999–2002	Venezia	82	(7)
2002–2004	Sampdoria	58	(2)
2005	Parma	8	(0)
Total		303	(14)
International career
2004	Italy	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stefano Bettarini (born 6 February 1972) is a former Italian footballer who played as a defender. He played once for Italy national team.

Biography

Born in Forlì, Emilia–Romagna, Bettarini spent his childhood at Buonconvento, the Province of Siena, Tuscany. He then spent his youth career at Staggia Senese, Poggibonsi, the Province of Siena and then signed by Internazionale. After loaned to Baracca Lugo, Bettarini joined Serie B side Lucchese and played 4 successive Serie B seasons, including 1 at Salerno. In June 1996, he was signed by Serie A side Cagliari but the team relegated in 1997.

Fiorentina

In July 1997, he was signed by Fiorentina and priced 3 billion Italian lire. After a limited chance, he was loaned to Bologna on 30 January 1999.

Venezia

On 2 September 1999, he was signed by Serie A side Venezia for 4 billion Italian lire. He signed a 4-year contract. He followed the team relegated in 2000 and promoted back to Serie A in 2001. But the Venice side relegated again in 2002.

Sampdoria

After Maurizio Zamparini the owner of Venezia purchased Palermo, Zamparini bought most of the squad to Sicily and Bettarini refused. Bettarini then joined Serie B side Sampdoria on free transfer, as Venezia had to reduce the salary expenditure. He signed a reported 2-year contract.

Match-fixing and Parma

In August 2004, he was banned 5 months for match-fixing. Antonio Marasco, Roberto D'Aversa, Generoso Rossi, Maurizio Caccavale and Alfredo Femiano were also banned. Bettarini denied he was guilty and was wrongly included in the investigation.

In January 2005, he left for Parma. Bettarini made his club debut on 3 February 2005 (round 22), against Bologna as starter. That match Gialloblu lost 1–3. He then continued as one of the starting XI. On round 28 (13 March) against Atalanta, he was substituted by Matteo Contini in the 16th minutes. He then out of a month due to injury. He came back to field on round 32 (20 April) against his former club Sampdoria, but substituted by Paolo Cannavaro in the 2nd minute. That season Parma reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup.

TV career

In 2005, Bettarini retired and appeared in reality television.

International career

Bettarini received his only national team call-up in 2004, a warm-up friendly match in Palermo, against the Czech Republic before the start of UEFA Euro 2004, on 18 February. Team-mate Sergio Volpi and Parma's Simone Barone also received their first call-up. That experimental match Bettarini played as one of the starting XI and replaced by Giuseppe Pancaro in the 79th minutes. Giovanni Trapattoni used all of his 22-men squad on the field and made 7 substitutes at half time; the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

Personal life

Bettarini was married to Italian television host Simona Ventura between 1998 and 2004; the couple had two children together.

External links

• Stefano Bettarini at National-Football-Teams.com
• Official Site (Italian)