MARCO AMELIA

'Marco Amelia', Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI^[1][2], (born 2 April 1982 in Frascati, Rome) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer goalkeeper, who currently plays for Livorno.
Amelia is also a squad member for the Italy national football team.
Amelia scored a dramatic late goal for Livorno in the 2006-07 UEFA Cup group stage match against FK Partizan in Belgrade on Thursday 2 November 2006, having come up for a late free-kick with Livorno trailing 1-0, becoming the first Italian goalkeeper to have ever scored in a continental competition.
Although he signed a new 5 year contract at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, a number of clubs in the Serie A have shown interest in Amelia, namely AC Milan, Lazio, and Juventus. Arsenal and Liverpool have also been mentioned by the British press. ^[3][4]
According to the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, 8th of August 2007 edition ^[5], Livorno President Aldo Spinelli wants 7.5 millions Euros (5 million British Pounds), and a replacement, the first choice being unsettled AC Milan goalie Marco Storari, whose 2 year loan to Real Betis fell through a few weeks ago. Negotiations with Manchester City have been formal since at least August 6th (link at end). The current manager of Livorno, Fernando Orsi used to work under current Manchester City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson at Lazio. Spinelli's willingness to let Amelia go was first aired in June 2007. Previously, in January 2007, after the sacking of coach Daniele Arrigoni, Spinelli said of Amelia "I've tried to teach Amelia some manners but he can't hold his tongue, like all Romans", this in reponse to Amelia's post-Arrigoni statement that Spinelli should himself resign "if he's got the balls to do it."^[6] Amelia earns 700,000 British Pounds per year.^[7]
On Saturday, 18th of August 2007, Livorno president Aldo Spinelli said, "The talks with Manchester City are already underway...[Before] August 22, Sven Goran Eriksson’s emissaries will arrive here.” Speaking about a possible offer from Lazio, Spinelli stated, "“Lazio made a move for Amelia too late in the day...[Besides] Amelia is certainly worth more than the £5m offered by the Biancocelesti.” ^[8]
It seems that in response to Manchester City's goalkeeper problems, the price for Amelia has risen.

Contents

Teams and clubs

National team

References

External links

Teams and clubs

★ 1998-2001: A.S. Roma

★ 2001-2002: Livorno ''on loan from Roma''

★ 2002-2003: Livorno

★ 2003-2004: U.S. Lecce & Parma ''on loan from Livorno''

★ 2004-present: Livorno

National team

Amelia won the 2004 European Under-21 Football Championship and bronze medal of 2004 Summer Olympics football tournament. He made his debut for Italy senior squad in a friendly match against Ivory Coast on 16 November2005 as a substitute for Christian Abbiati. He was included in the victorious 2006 FIFA World Cup squad as the third goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Buffon and Angelo Peruzzi. After the World Cup and Peruzzi's retirement from international football, he is now the first choice back-up to Buffon on the Italy squad under new coach Roberto Donadoni, who gave him his first start in a friendly match, which Italy lost 2-0 against Croatia on 16 August2006.

References

1. FIFA.com
2. AscotSportal.com
3. SkySports.com
4. SkySports.com
5.
[1]
6. [2]
7. [3]
8. [4]

External links

★ Profile and stats. at Livorno site

★ National Team stats.
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