Mariano Izco

Mariano Izco

Personal information
Full name	Mariano Julio Izco
Date of birth	(1983-03-13) March 13, 1983
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	midfielder
Team information
Current team	Chievo Verona
Number	13
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2004	San Telmo	93	(4)
2004–2005	Almagro	6	(0)
2005–2006	Tigre	27	(1)
2006–2014	Catania	218	(6)
2014–	Chievo Verona	0	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 June2014

Mariano Julio Izco (born March 13, 1983, in Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine football midfielder who currently plays for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A. He also holds an Italian passport and is currently the club's captain.

Club Career

CA San Telmo

Izco began his career in the regionalised 3rd division of Argentine football with Club Atlético San Telmo, in 2000. The player went on to make 93 appearances, scoring 4 goals for his club, in 4 full seasons. In 2004 he was signed by Club Almagro, of the Argentine Primera Division.

Club Almagro

In July 2004, Izco signed for Club Almagro, where he would play during the 2004/2005 season. Izco made just 6 appearances, and could not help Almagro avoid relegation at the end of the season. With the relegation of Almagro, Izco was transferred to 2nd Division team Club Atlético Tigre.

Club Atlético Tigre

After a season in the top flight, Izco spent one season with Club Atlético Tigre, where he would make 27 appearances, scoring a single goal. After one season with Tigre, Izco was scouted by newly promoted Serie A club, Calcio Catania and made his transfer to the Italian club in August 2006.

Calcio Catania

Izco officially transferred to the Sicilian club in August 2006, as the club looked for reinforcements following their promotion from the Italian Serie B. Izco made his debut for the Catania in their 2–0 victory over F.C. Parma. In his first season with Catania, Izco made 19 appearances in the league under then-coach Pasquale Marino, helping his team to a 13th place finish. In his second season in Italy, Izco had a greater impact with his team, starting regularly, and helping his team to avoid relegation yet again. He made 32 appearances in the league under Silvio Baldini for the 2007–2008 season. Walter Zenga took charge of Catania for the 2008–2009 campaign, and Izco went on to make 27 appearances under the new coach, helping Catania to a 15th place finish. Gianluca Atzori took the helm at the club at the start of the 2009–10 season, but after 3 months was sacked as the club lingered in 19th place with just 1 win. On 8 December 2009, Siniša Mihajlović became manager, and the club started off with a bang, as they defeated Serie A giants Juventus 2–1, with Izco scoring his first Serie A goal. Izco managed just 15 total appearances during the 2010-11 Serie A season for his club, helping lift the club to a 13th place finish and a record points total for the club for a third consecutive season.

Since his debut in 2006, Izco has been one of Catania's most valuable players throughout his stint at the Sicilian club, consistently being featured in the starting lineup. He is currently the club's vice-captain and holds the club's record in number of league appearances in Serie A. Currently, the club's vice-captain is also part of a record-breaking Catania outfit that had picked up 56 points from 38 Serie A matches. This performance saw the club also break its record number of home victories in a single season, its record number of victories overall in a single top flight campaign, as well as its record points total in Serie A for the fifth consecutive season.

External links

• Statistics at Guardian Stats Centre