Alberto Fontana (footballer born 1967)

Alberto Fontana

Personal information
Date of birth	January 23, 1967 (1967-01-23)
Place of birth	Cesena, Italy
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1985–1986	Cesena
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1986–1993	Cesena	103	(0)
1986–1987	→ Vis Pesaro (loan)	2	(0)
1988–1989	→ SPAL (loan)	29	(0)
1993–1997	Bari	133	(0)
1997–2000	Atalanta	100	(0)
2001	Napoli	14	(0)
2001–2005	Inter	10	(0)
2005–2006	Chievo	29	(0)
2006–2009	Palermo	66	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Alberto Fontana (born 23 January 1967) is a retired Italian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

During his career, in which he represented nine different clubs, he played until the age of 42.

Football career

Fontana during a game with Palermo, in 2008

Born in Cesena, Fontana started his career with hometown team A.C. Cesena, but made his professional debut with Vis Pesaro, where he was loaned during the 1986–87 season. Before the decade was over, he played in the same predicament to another modest side, SPAL 1907.

In 1989 Fontana returned to Cesena, and made his Serie A debut with the Romagna side on 9 September 1990. After the club relegated at the season's end, he stayed for two further years, signing in the 1993 summer with A.S. Bari, where he was first-choice during his four-year spell (two seasons apiece in each major division) played.

Aged 30, Fontana moved in 1997 to Atalanta BC, winning top flight promotion in 2000. In January of the following year, he was signed by S.S.C. Napoli, playing for the club for the following six months. During the summer he accepted an offer from F.C. Internazionale Milano, which were looking for a backup for Francesco Toldo. He stayed at the club four seasons, being featured in 24 official matches (ten in the league, two in the UEFA Champions League, four in the UEFA Cup and eight in the Coppa Italia).

In 2005, Fontana signed a one-year deal with A.C. ChievoVerona, playing regularly and being instrumental in the club's successful campaign, which ended with Chievo gaining a UEFA Cup spot (the club was ultimately admitted to the Champions League qualifying rounds following the 2006 Italian football scandal).

After one single season, Fontana moved to U.S. Città di Palermo, with the initial aim being of serving as an experienced backup alongside young promise Federico Agliardi. However, an injury occurred to Agliardi, whom additionally did not play impressively during the early 2006–07 matches, causing Fontana to be promoted to the starting lineup by Francesco Guidolin.

At the age of 40, Fontana was confirmed by Palermo for their 2007–08 campaign, starting for the Rosanero with impressively good results despite being the second-oldest player in the whole Serie A, only behind 44-year old Marco Ballotta of S.S. Lazio, also a goalkeeper.

In 2008–09, he returned to the bench following the signing of Italian international Marco Amelia, only making his debut on 26 October 2008, as a half-time replacement to injured Amelia in a 1–3 home loss to ACF Fiorentina, a game that saw Fontana being welcomed with a standing ovation from the whole stadium, a moment he later defined "the biggest emotion in my football career". He also played in the following game, against U.S. Lecce.

In December 2008, Fontana was put out of the first team squad, after disagreements with the club regarding his position in the squad – he was demoted to as low as third-choice, behind Albanian youngster Samir Ujkani. Palermo chairman Maurizio Zamparini then confirmed to have formally authorized Fontana to start searching a new club where he could play regularly, but the player eventually stayed until the end of the season, retiring shortly after.

Personal

Fontana is not related to another football goalkeeper, Alberto Maria Fontana, who also had an extensive professional career, also appearing for a host of clubs.

External links

• US Palermo official profile (Italian)
• Stats at Tutto Calciatori (Italian)
• Gazzetta dello Sport profile (Italian)