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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Manuele Blasi? A midfielder who's a blast to watch.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Manuele Blasi
Blasi with Napoli in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-08-17) 17 August 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth Civitavecchia, Italy
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 FC Paradiso (sporting director)
Youth career
1996–1998 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Roma 5 (0)
1998–1999 → Lecce (loan) 12 (0)
2000–2002 Perugia 46 (0)
2002–2007 Juventus 40 (0)
2002–2003 → Perugia (loan) 30 (0)
2003–2004 → Parma (loan) 12 (0)
2006–2007 → Fiorentina (loan) 31 (1)
2007–2011 Napoli 61 (0)
2009–2010 → Palermo (loan) 14 (0)
2011–2012 Parma 6 (0)
2012 Lecce 16 (0)
2012–2013 Pescara 12 (0)
2013–2015 Varese 45 (0)
2015–2016 Chennaiyin FC 19 (0)
2016 → Ischia (loan) 4 (0)
2017 CPC 2005
International career
1996 Italy U15 10 (1)
1996–1997 Italy U16 10 (0)
1998–1999 Italy U18 10 (0)
2000 Italy U20 4 (0)
2000–2002 Italy U21 6 (0)
2004–2005 Italy 8 (0)
Managerial career
2017–2018 CPC 2005
2019–2020 Hamrun Spartans
2020–2021 Ayia Napa
2021 Apolonia Fier
2023 Enosis Neon Paralimni
2024–2025 FC Paradiso
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Manuele Blasi (Italian pronunciation: [manuˈɛːle ˈblaːzi]; born 17 August 1980) is an Italian former professional footballer who played a midfielder, currently working as the sporting director of Swiss club FC Paradiso.

Club career

[edit]

Primarily a central midfielder, Blasi made his Serie A debut for AS Roma in a match against Piacenza on 22 January 2000. He also played for Lecce at Serie B before returning to Roma. In mid-2000, he was signed by Perugia at (first in a co-ownership deal for a peppercorn of 1 million Italian lire; €516). At Perugia, he played 46 Serie A matches. In June 2001, he was signed permanently for 18 billion lire (€9.296 million),[1][2] however, in terms of the signing of Giuseppe Cattivera also for 18 billion lire.[3]

In July 2002, he was signed by Juventus for about €17.7 million,[4] and loaned back to Perugia in the first season.

In the second season he joined Parma.[5] He was suspended due to testing positive for nandrolone[6] until March.[7]

Juventus

[edit]

Blasi returned to Juventus FC in 2004, under Fabio Capello, his coach at Roma; he received his first Italy call-up in August.[8] In his first season with Juventus, he was often partnered with his former Roma teammate Emerson in the centre of the team's midfield, in Capello's 4–4–2 formation, fighting off competition from Stephen Appiah and Alessio Tacchinardi for a starting spot, and collecting 27 appearances as Juventus won the league title.[9][10][11][12][13]

The following season, due to the injuries of Jonathan Zebina and Gianluca Pessotto, he often played as a right-back. Due to the arrival of Patrick Vieira and the emergence of Giorgio Chiellini, however, he often found a lack of first team opportunities both in midfield and defence,[9][10][11][12][13] although he was awarded a new contract extension, which would keep him with the club until 2009.[14] He made six starts for the club throughout the season, as the team won a second consecutive league title.[12][13]

While waiting for the outcome of the 2006 Italian football scandal sentences, which ultimately saw Juventus relegated to Serie B and stripped of their previous two league titles due to their involvement in Calciopoli,[12][13] Blasi joined Fiorentina on a loan with an option to buy,[15] under Cesare Prandelli, who had previously also been his coach at Parma.

Napoli

[edit]

Along with his former Juventus teammate Marcelo Zalayeta, Blasi was sold to newly promoted Serie A team Napoli for €1.4 million and €2.45 million respectively in co-ownership deal in the summer of 2007.[16][17] He signed a five-year contract with the club.[16] In June 2008, Napoli bought the remaining half of the player's registration rights from Juventus for €2.6 million.[18]

On 31 August 2009, Blasi was loaned to Palermo[19][20] after he had played the opening match of the season against Salernitana in the Coppa Italia on 16 August.[21] On 20 May 2010, he joined AC Milan on loan exclusively for a three-game friendly tournament in the United States.[22]

Lecce

[edit]

On 27 January 2012, Blasi signed with Serie A side Lecce during the January transfer window.[23]

Pescara

[edit]

On 7 August 2012, Blasi joined the newly promoted Serie A side Delfino Pescara 1936 on a one-year deal.

Varese

[edit]

Blasi joined Varese in 2013. He spent two seasons at the club and was released in 2015.[24]

Chennaiyin

[edit]

Blasi joined Indian club Chennaiyin FC in 2015 after the expiry of his contract at Varese. He was retained in 2016, after a short spell at Ischia Isolaverde.[25][26]

International career

[edit]

At youth level, Blasi played for the Italy U-15 team, the Italy U-16 team in 1997 UEFA European Under-16 Championship qualifying; the Italy U-18 team at the 1999 UEFA European Under-18 Championship, where they lost out to the Portugal U-18 side in the final;[27][28] and the Italy U-20 team at the 2000 Toulon Tournament. He also played for the Italy U-21 side at the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, as a starter, due to the injury of Enzo Maresca;[29] he partnered Matteo Brighi, Andrea Pirlo and Marco Marchionni in midfield, as they reached the semi-finals.[30]

Manuele Blasi has also played for the Italy senior national team, for which he debuted on 18 August 2004 in a 2–0 friendly away loss against Iceland, at the age of 24, which was also manager Marcello Lippi's first match in charge of the national side.[31] In total, he made eight appearances for Italy between 2004 and 2005.[32]

Style of play

[edit]

A box-to-box midfielder, with high stamina. Blasi is a versatile player, who is capable of playing as a right-sided or central midfielder, or as a defensive midfielder in the centre of a three-man midfield, where his primary function is to break down opposition plays and distribute the ball to his teammates. He is known for his leadership and team spirit, although he has also drawn criticism at times from his managers for committing too many fouls and for tending to pick up cards.[9][10][11][12][13][33][34] Primarily a midfielder, throughout his career, he has also played as a right-back on occasion. Due to his technical characteristics and wide range of skills, he has been also deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in midfield, in front of the back-line, courtesy of his good feet, distribution, and ability to switch the play.[12][13][34][35]

Coaching career

[edit]

On 12 January 2017, it was announced that Blasi had joined Italian amateur club CPC 2005 Civitavecchia.[36] However, in September 2017, he was announced as the club's new manager.[37]

On 23 May 2019, Blasi was named manager of the Maltese club of Hamrun Spartans[38] for his first professional experience as a manager. Despite reaching the quarter-finals in the Maltese FA Trophy, he was sacked by the club on the beginning of February 2020.[39]

Blasi also served as head coach of Swiss team FC Paradiso from October 2024[40] to March 2025, successively switching to a sporting director position within the same club.[41]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Coppa Italia Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lecce (loan) 1998–99[citation needed] Serie B 12060–180
Roma 1999–2000[42] Serie A 50200070
Perugia 2000–01[42] Serie A 2001020230
2001–02[42] 2604000300
Total 4605020530
Perugia (loan) 2002–03[42] Serie A 3005020370
Parma (loan) 2003–04[42] Serie A 1200010130
Juventus 2004–05[42] Serie A 2701080360
2005–06[42] 1303050210
Total 40040130570
Fiorentina (loan) 2006–07[42] Serie A 3112000331
Napoli 2007–08[42] Serie A 2703000300
2008–09[42] 3200050370
2009–10[42] 00100010
2010–11[42] 20102050
Total 6105070730
Palermo (loan) 2009–10[42] Serie A 1401000150
Parma 2011–12[42] Serie A 60100070
Lecce 2011–12[42] Serie A 16020–180
Pescara 2012–13[42] Serie A 12000–120
Varese 2013–14[42] Serie B 22010–230
2013–14[42] 23030–260
Total 4504000490
Career total 33013702503921

International

[edit]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Italy 200440
200540
Total80

Honours

[edit]

Chennaiyin FC

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Lupatelli va al Chievo, Di Francesco a Piacenza". AS Roma (in Italian). 29 June 2001. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  2. ↑ "CAMPAGNA TRASFERIMENTI" (PDF). AS Roma (in Italian). 28 June 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2001. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  3. ↑ AS Roma SpA Report and Accounts on 30 June 2001 (in Italian)
  4. ↑ A.C. Perugia S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2003 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  5. ↑ "Appiah arrives at Juventus". UEFA. 30 June 2003. Archived from the original on 4 August 2003. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Drugs duo face ban". BBC. 10 December 2003. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  7. ↑ "Bans reduced for Kallon and Blasi". UEFA. 9 February 2004. Archived from the original on 29 November 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  8. ↑ "Lippi looks for fresh approach". UEFA. 15 August 2004. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 Ben Lyttleton (16 December 2007). "Five football teams built by Fabio Capello". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 Paolo Bandini; Sid Lowe (14 December 2007). "How Capello won his nine league titles". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 "Capello, qualità al centro con Vieira-Emerson" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 26 July 2005. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stefano Bedeschi (16 August 2016). "Gli eroi in bianconero: Manuele BLASI" (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Il pallone racconta: Manuele Blasi" (in Italian). Il pallone racconta. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "Blasi nets new Juve deal". UEFA. 16 September 2005. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  15. ↑ "Ufficiale l'arrivo di Manuele Blasi". ACF Fiorentina (in Italian). 21 June 2006. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2006. La Fiorentina comunica di aver acquisito a titolo temporaneo con diritto di riscatto le prestazioni sportive del centrocampista Manuele Blasi, classe 1980, dalla Juventus FC.
  16. 1 2 "Blasi e Zalayeta al Napoli" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  17. ↑ "Six-Monthly Report at 31 December 2007" (PDF). Juventus FC. 18 March 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  18. ↑ "Agreements with S.S.C. Napoli S.p.A." (PDF). Juventus FC. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  19. ↑ "Preso Blasi dal Napoli" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  20. ↑ "Blasi in prestito al Palermo, Montervino ceduto alla Salernitana" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  21. ↑ "Napoli-Salernitana 3–0". SSC Napoli (in Italian). 16 August 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  22. ↑ "CALCIO, MILAN: AGGREGATI 7 GIOCATORI PER TOURNEE USA". repubblica.it (in Italian). 20 May 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  23. ↑ "Us Lecce Spa". Archived from the original on 28 January 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  24. ↑ Schira, Nicholas (30 July 2015). "Manuele Blasi verso l'Indian Super League: lo ha chiamato Materazzi". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "Chennaiyin FC retain Manuele Blasi". The Times of India. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  26. ↑ "Ufficiale, Ischia: rescinde Manuele Blasi - Calcio News 24". Calcio News 24 (in Italian). 22 March 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  27. ↑ Manlio Gasparotto (26 July 1999). "L' Italia a un passo dall' Europa" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  28. ↑ Erik Garin (3 February 2004). "European U-18 Championship 1999". RSSSF. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  29. ↑ "Holders' high expectations". UEFA. 14 May 2002. Archived from the original on 8 December 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  30. ↑ GIANLUCA MORESCO (26 May 2002). "Piccola Italia, maledetto golden gol" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  31. ↑ "Pessimo esordio per Lippi Italia sconfitta in Islanda" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 28 August 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "Blasi, Manuele" (in Italian). FIGC. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  33. ↑ Cosmi: "Quando cambiai ruolo a Blasi..."[link removed] Mediagol.it
  34. 1 2 Salvatore Bavari (2 September 2009). "Palermo, Cosmi: "Blasi? Dovrebbe avere l'intraprendenza di Tedesco ma è forte"" (in Italian). Tuttopalermo.net. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  35. ↑ Cosmi: "Blasi regista? Può farlo, ha piedi buoni" Archived 5 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine Mediagol.it (in Italian)
  36. ↑ Colpo della Cpc, arriva Manuele Blasi, centumcellae.it, 12 January 2017
  37. ↑ Manuele Blasi è il nuovo tecnico della Cpc Archived 8 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine, civonline.it 12 September 2017
  38. ↑ Lia, Gianluca (23 May 2019). "Blasi ready to test himself at Ħamrun Spartans". Times of Malta. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  39. ↑ Camilleri, Valhmor (3 February 2020). "Spartans sack coach Blasi". Times of Malta. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  40. ↑ "Blasi in Paradiso. Ufficiale l'approdo in panchina dell'ex mediano al posto di Sannino" (in Italian). Tuttomercatoweb. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  41. ↑ "Altro cambio sulla panchina del Paradiso, Raineri subentra a Blasi" (in Italian). RSI. 16 March 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Manuele Blasi » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
[edit]
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