Gaetano Berardi
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gaetano Berardi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 August 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Sorengo, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Right-back / Left-back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Leeds United | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | Lugano | ||
| 2004–2006 | Brescia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2012 | Brescia | 105 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Sampdoria | 35 | (0) |
| 2014– | Leeds United | 52 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Switzerland U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Switzerland U21 | 20 | (0) |
| 2011 | Switzerland | 1 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:50, 24 April 2016 (UTC). | |||
Gaetano Berardi (born 21 August 1988) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays for English club Leeds United as a right-back. Berardi can also play as a left-back. He has been capped at international level by Switzerland.
Career
Brescia
Berardi started his career at Swiss club Lugano's youth team. In the summer of 2005, he was signed by Serie B side Brescia. Berardi made his professional debut on 30 June 2007, in a winning away game against Pescara (1–3).
In his first season, Berardi made ten appearances in all competitions under the management of Serse Cosmi. In the 2008–09 season, Berardi was used in 26 Serie B games. Before finally becoming a first team regular in Giuseppe Iachini team during the 2009–10 season, Brescia earned promotion to Serie A after beating Torino in the Serie B play-offs.
Berardi made his Serie A debut on 12 September 2010 in a 3–2 victory against Palermo. He made 26 starts in total for Brescia in Serie A, although Brescia were relegated at the end of the season after finishing in 19th position.
Sampdoria
On 12 January 2012, Berardi linked up with his former Brescia manager Giuseppe Iachini who signed him for Sampdoria. Berardi made his debut in a 2–1 victory against Padova on 14 January. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Berardi gained his second promotion to Serie A after winning the Serie B play-offs by beating Varese 4–2 on aggregate in the two-legged play-off final.
The following club season in Serie A, despite stiff competition from Italian international Lorenzo De Silvestri, Berardi made 21 appearances in Serie A during the 2012–13 season. However, after the club appointed Siniša Mihajlović as head coach in November 2013, Berardi lost his place in the starting lineup and only made five Serie A appearances during the subsequent 2013–14 season.
Leeds United
2014–15
On 19 July 2014, Leeds United announced that they had signed Berardi to a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee,[2] with an option of a third year. Club president Massimo Cellino confirmed that Berardi had taken a wage cut to join Leeds.[3] On 1 August, Berardi was assigned the number 12 shirt for the 2014–15 season.[4]
Berardi made his Leeds debut on 12 August 2014, starting the League Cup match against Accrington Stanley. He was sent off on his debut for a straight red card.[5] As a result of his red card, Berardi picked up a three-match ban, missing matches against Middlesbrough, Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford.[6] With regular right back Sam Byram suspended,[7] Berardi was set to start against Bradford City on 27 August, but was ruled out after picking up a concussion the day before the game.[8] His full league debut was in a 1–1 draw away at Birmingham City on 13 September 2014.[9]
On 20 September, Berardi received his second red card in just his fourth game, after being sent off in a 3–0 win over local rivals Huddersfield Town.[10]
With regular left back Charlie Taylor pushed forward into an attacking left wing position, during 2015 Berardi became a regular fixture in the left-back position for Leeds.[11] Berardi finished the season in strong form at left back, starting 10 of the last 11 games and becoming a fans' favourite for his performances.[12]
2015–16
Berardi was given the number 28 shirt for the 2015–16 season. On 21 September 2015, after becoming a highly popular player with the fans for his consistent displays at both right back or left back positions, Berardi signed a two-year contract extension with the club lasting until 2018.[13]
On 21 November, Berardi received another straight red card for Leeds in a match against Rotherham United after being left with a bloodied nose by an elbow to the face from Leon Best (which he also received a straight red for); Berardi reacted angrily by pushing Best to the ground before being restrained by teammates. The ban was later reduced after appeal due to the severity of the elbow Berardi received from Best, provoking the reaction.[14]
After returning from suspension, on 14 December Berardi suffered a torn ankle ligament against Charlton Athletic which ruled him out for two months.[15] After returning from injury, in April 2016, in the return fixture against Rotherham, Berardi – in similar circumstances to the reverse fixture – suffered a bloodied face/head injury after being elbowed by Rotherham striker Matt Derbyshire, which resulted Derbyshire being given a straight red, albeit in a 2–1 defeat for Leeds.[16][17]
On 19 April, Berardi was nominated for the Leeds United Player of the Year award, alongside Charlie Taylor, Liam Bridcutt, Mirco Antenucci and Lewis Cook. Berardi also finished second in the voting for the Yorkshire Evening Post Player of the Year award after coming second to eventual winner Taylor. [18] The official Leeds Player of the Season award was won by Taylor on 30 April.[19]
2016–17
Berardi missed the entirety of Leeds' 2016–17 pre-season friendlies due to injury, although he did return to the substitutes' bench for the final pre-season friendly against Italian side Atalanta.[20][21] On 7 August, in the opening fixture of the season against QPR in a 3–0 defeat, Berardi was substituted early in the first half after picking up a hamstring injury.[22] As a result of the hamstring injury, Berardi was ruled out for around 6 weeks.
On 26 October 2016, Berardi made his long awaited return from injury for Leeds when he started in Leeds' penalty shootout victory against Norwich City in the English League Cup, after a dramatic 2-2 draw in normal time.[23]
International career
After playing for the Switzerland national under-20 team, Berardi debuted for the Switzerland U21s against Greece on 19 November 2008.
Berardi played his first match for Switzerland at senior level against Liechtenstein on 10 August 2011.
Career statistics
- As of 19 August 2015.[24]
| Club | Division | Season | League | Domestic Cups | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Brescia | Serie B | 2006–07 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | ||
| Serie A | 2010–11 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| Serie B | 2011–12 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Brescia total | 105 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 110 | 0 | ||
| Sampdoria | Serie B | 2011–12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Serie A | 2012–13 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Sampdoria total | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Leeds United | Championship | 2014–15 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Leeds United total | 37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 169 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 177 | 0 | ||
Honours
- Brescia
- Sampdoria
References
- ↑ "EFL: Retained list: 2015/16" (PDF). English Football League. p. 29. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ↑ "United Finalise Berardi Signing". Leeds United. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ↑ "Former Sampdoria full-back pens Leeds United deal". Yorkshire Evening Post. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ↑ "SQUAD NUMBERS RELEASED". Leeds United. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ↑ "Leeds V Accrington". Leeds United. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
- ↑ "BERARDI TO MISS BORO VISIT". Leeds United Official Site. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ↑ "TWO OFF IN WATFORD DEFEAT". Leeds United Official Site. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ↑ "UNITED EDGED OUT AT BRADFORD". Sky Sports. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ↑ "Birmingham 1 - 1 Leeds". BBC Sport. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ↑ "UNITED TAKE DERBY DAY SPOILS". Leeds United official website. 20 September 2014.
- ↑ "Dave Edwards headed home a late winner as Wolves beat Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ↑ "BERARDI SETS SIGHTS ON STRONG 2015/16". Leeds United. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ↑ "Gaetano Berardi: Leeds United full-back signs new contract/16". BBC Sport. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ↑ "Leeds defender Gaetano Berardi has ban reduced to two games after appealing Rotherham red card". Talk Sport. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ↑ "Leeds United: Injury blow as Berardi faces eight-week lay-off". Yorkshire Evening Post. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ↑ "Stitched-up Gaetano Berardi given all-clear by Leeds United to face QPR". Yorkshire Evening Post. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ↑ "Leeds United: Leeds boss Evans defends 'humble and down' Bellusci". Yorkshire Evening Post. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ↑ "PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TOP 5 VOTE!". Leeds United Official site. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "TAYLOR CROWNED PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Leeds United Official site. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ "WOOD + ROOFE STRIKES SEE OFF ATALANTA". Leeds United. 30 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ↑ "FULLY FIT SQUAD FOR QPR TRIP". Leeds United. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ↑ "QPR CLAIM OPENING VICTORY". Leeds United. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ↑ "NORWICH CITY: PENALTIES SEE LEEDS EDGE CLASSIC". Leeds United. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ↑ Gaetano Berardi career statistics at Soccerbase
External links
- Profile at AIC.Football.it (Italian)
- Profile at Brescia Calcio official site (Italian)