Italian footballer
Stefano Bettarini
(
Italian pronunciation:
[?steːfano
betta?riːni]
; born 6 February 1972) is an Italian retired professional
footballer
who played as a
defender
, and a television personality. He played once for the
Italy national team
. He was a contestant on
Grande Fratello VIP, 2016
[
citation needed
]
and currently a host presenter in
L'Isola dei Famosi
.
[
citation needed
]
Club career
[
edit
]
Early career
[
edit
]
Born in
Forli
comune
, Emilia-Romagna, Bettarini spent his childhood at
Buonconvento
comune
, in the
Province of Siena
, Tuscany. He then spent his youth career at a local side of
Staggia Senese
, a village in
Poggibonsi
, in the
Province of Siena
.
[1]
[
non-primary source needed
]
He was signed by
Internazionale
in 1990. After first being loaned to
Baracca Lugo
, Bettarini joined
Serie B
side
Lucchese
and played four successive Serie B seasons, including one at
Salerno
. In June 1996, he was signed by
Serie A
side
Cagliari
but the team were relegated in
1997
.
Fiorentina
[
edit
]
In July 1997, he was signed by
Fiorentina
and priced at 3 billion
Italian lire
.
[2]
After a limited chance, he was loaned to
Bologna
on 30 January 1999.
[3]
Venezia
[
edit
]
On 2 September 1999, he was signed by Serie A side
Venezia
for 4 billion lire transfer fee.
[4]
He signed a four-year contract.
[5]
He followed the team relegated in 2000 and promoted back to Serie A in 2001. But the
Venice
side relegated again in 2002.
Sampdoria
[
edit
]
After
Maurizio Zamparini
the owner of Venezia, purchased
Palermo
(and selling Venezia at the same time), Zamparini bought most of the squad to Sicily, except some players such as Bettarini. Bettarini then joined Serie B side
Sampdoria
on a free transfer, as Venezia had to reduce the salary expenditure.
[6]
He signed a reported two-year contract.
[7]
According to Bettarini himself, Venenzia had sent a letter to him, accusing that he rejected the transfer to Palermo and then
Brescia
in mid-2002 transfer window, thus unable to pay his wage for 2002?03 season [
sic
]. However, he denied that he rejected the moves to Palermo nor Brescia.
[8]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
April 2010
)
|
Match-fixing and Parma
[
edit
]
In August 2004, he was banned 5 months for
match-fixing
.
[9]
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.
[10]
In January 2005, he left for
Parma
.
[11]
Bettarini made his club debut on 3 February 2005 (round 22), against
Bologna
as starter. That match
Gialloblu
lost 3?1. 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 minute. He then out of a month due to injury.
[12]
[13]
He came back to field on round 32 (20 April) against his former club
Sampdoria
, but substituted by
Paolo Cannavaro
in the second minute. That season Parma reached the semi-final of the
UEFA Cup
; Bettarini retired at the end of the season.
International career
[
edit
]
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. Bettarini's club teammate
Sergio Volpi
, as well as Parma's
Simone Barone
, also received their first call-up.
[14]
During the experimental match, Bettarini played as one of the starting XI, and was replaced by
Giuseppe Pancaro
in the 79th minute. Italy manager
Giovanni Trapattoni
used all of his 22-men squad on the field, and made seven substitutions at half time; the match ended in a 2?2 draw.
[15]
[16]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Bettarini was married to Italian television host
Simona Ventura
between 1998 and 2004; the couple had two children together.
[17]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]