Federico Balzaretti

Infobox Football biography
playername = Federico Balzaretti
fullname = Federico Balzaretti


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|12|6
cityofbirth = Turin
countryofbirth = Italy
height = height|m=1.78
currentclub = Palermo
clubnumber = 42
position = Left back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1999-2001
2001-2002
2002-2005
2005-2007
2007-2008
2008-present
clubs = Varese
Siena
Torino
Juventus
Fiorentina
Palermo
caps(goals) = 44 (0)
16 (0)
94 (0)
56 (2)
6 (0)
21 (0)
nationalyears = 2000-2002
2002
nationalteam = Italy U-20
Italy U-21
nationalcaps(goals) = 023 (1)
04 (0)
pcupdate = 10 June, 2007
ntupdate = 17 April, 2008

Federico Balzaretti (born 6 December 1981 in Turin) is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Serie A side U.S. Città di Palermo. He plays in the role of a left sided full-back.

Known as 'Balzac' by most fans, he grew up since the age of 6 in the Torino youth system, debuting for the "granata" in season 2002-03. After a couple of seasons on loan to Varese and Siena, 'Balzac' was heavily involved in the 2004-05 Serie B campaign of Torino, which brought the team to a Serie A promotion.

However, as Torino disbanded right after that promotion, 'Balzac' was released in a free transfer, and was signed by city arch-rivals Juventus. In 2005-06 he was part of the first team for the "bianconeri", often playing as regular under orders of coach Fabio Capello, and finally winning the Serie A league.

'Balzac's' first ever senior goal game on 17 February 2007, in Serie B, as Juventus beat Crotone 5-0. He was sold to Fiorentina on July 2007, but failed to impress with the "viola" as he made only six appearances in the first half of the Serie A 2007-08, and was subsequently signed by Palermo in a permanent move during the January transfer market. [cite web|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=8381|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=Italian|title=Acquistato Balzaretti|accessdate=2008-01-25|date=2008-01-25]

References