Luigi Apolloni

Luigi Apolloni

Personal information
Date of birth	2 May 1967 (1967-05-02)
Place of birth	Frascati, Italy
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
	Lodigiani
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1983–1984	Lodigiani	0	(0)
1984–1986	Pistoiese	35	(0)
1986–1987	Reggiana	32	(0)
1987–2000	Parma	304	(8)
1999–2000	→ Verona (loan)	28	(2)
2000–2001	Verona	23	(0)
National team
1994–1996	Italy	15	(0)
Teams managed
2009–2010	Modena
2010	Grosseto
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Luigi Apolloni (born 2 May 1967 in Frascati) is a retired Italian football player, who last served as head coach of Serie B club Grosseto.

Career

Club career

He started his career with Lodigiani in 1983–84 in Serie C2, without ever get off the field in the first team to advance to Pistoiese within two years, where he debuted in professional football.

After another year in Serie C1 to Reggiana, he join Parma in 1987, became a key member of the squad and a defense line mainstay along with Lorenzo Minotti, forming a pair of central defenders who later guided the club from the Serie B to the top levels of European football, including triumphs in the 1991–92 Coppa Italia, a runners-up Cup Winners' Cup campaign in 1993–94, and two UEFA Cups in 1995 and 1999.

In 1996 a serious injury forced him out, and Apolloni did not manage to win back a place in the starting lineup, ultimately leaving Parma in 1999 to join Hellas Verona, and later ending his career in 2001 with a total of 255 appearances and 7 goals in the Italian top flight.

International career

Following his successes with Parma, Apolloni gained a spot in the Italian squad under head coach Arrigo Sacchi, making his international debut on 27 May 1994 against Finland and participating in the FIFA World Cup 1994 azzurri campaign, as well as Euro 1996's.

Managing career

In 2006 Apolloni accepted to follow former Parma teammate Daniele Zoratto, serving as his aide at Modena. He was later sacked together with head coach Zoratto on February 2007, only to return at Modena on April 2008.

On January 2009, Apolloni was appointed as caretaker manager of the canarini after Zoratto left the club by mutual consent. He was then permanently appointed to the role after he managed to guide Modena to escape relegation at the final day of the season. In his first full season in charge of the club, Apolloni guided Modena to a mid-table place in the league despite severe financial issues within the club. On July 2010 he left Modena to join ambitious Serie B club Grosseto. He was however removed by the end of September due to poor results, and replaced by Francesco Moriero.

Honours

As player

Parma F.C.

• Coppa Italia: 1991–92, 1998–99
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1999
• UEFA Cup: 1994–95, 1998–99
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1992–93
• UEFA Super Cup: 1993

External links

• Playing career profile