Federico Viviani (footballer, born 1992)

Federico Viviani (born 24 March 1992) is an Italian professional footballer who plays a defensive midfielder for Serie C Group B club Ternana. He plays as a deep-lying playmaker in the defensive midfield role, and is also known as a free-kick specialist. He also represented Italy national team at various youth international levels.

Federico Viviani
Viviani 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-03-24) 24 March 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Lecco, Italy
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder[1]
Team information
Current team
Ternana
Number 24
Youth career
2005–2011 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2015 Roma 6 (0)
2012–2013Padova (loan) 22 (2)
2013–2014Pescara (loan) 6 (2)
2014–2015Latina (loan) 51 (11)
2015–2018 Verona 19 (3)
2016–2017Bologna (loan) 17 (2)
2017–2018SPAL (loan) 29 (3)
2018–2022 SPAL 25 (4)
2019Frosinone (loan) 5 (0)
2019–2020Livorno (loan) 10 (0)
2022–2023 Brescia 14 (0)
2023– Ternana 5 (0)
International career
2011 Italy U19 7 (2)
2011–2012 Italy U20 7 (1)
2012–2015 Italy U21 18 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 June 2024

Viviani is a former Italy U21 international.[2] He is also the son of Mauro Viviani, a former football player of Lazio in the 1980s.[2]

Club career

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Roma

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Viviani started his career at A.S. Roma. He was given his first team debut by Roma coach Luis Enrique in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League play-off round against Slovan Bratislava in August 2011. On 12 December 2011, at age 19, he made his debut in Serie A in the 1–1 draw against Juventus, in which he started. He played 9 games in all competitions his first season, mostly coming on as a substitute.

On 22 March 2012, Viviani captained the Roma Primavera side which won the Tim Cup (Coppa Italia) after a 2–1 aggregate win against Juventus in a two legged final.[3] After coming through the youth system, Viviani signed a 5-year contract in May 2012.[4]

Serie B loan

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He was loaned to Padova for the 2012–13 season where he scored two goals in 22 matches. He made his debut with the 18 August game against Atalanta. On 25 September, Viviani scored his first goals of his career, scoring both goals in a 2–0 win against Empoli.

On 1 July 2013, Viviani joined Pescara on loan, again in Serie B.[5] He made his debut 14 September in the next away game against Varese, scoring on his debut, scoring with a freekick in a 3–2 loss.[6] On 24 September, Viviani scored his second goal for by scoring a freekick against Avellino in a 1–1 draw.[7]

In January 2014, Viviani was recalled by A.S. Roma as part of the transfer deal which saw Gianluca Caprari join Pescara, on the same day Viviani was loaned back out, this time to fellow Serie B side Latina. He was given the number 7 shirt. On 28 February, Viviani scored his first goal for Latina in a 3–0 victory against his old side Padova with a long range shot. Viviani scored a freekick against Novara on 12 April in a 4–1 victory.[8] On 10 May, Vivani scored a freekick in a 2–0 victory for Latina over Ternana.[9][10]

He was integral to helping Latina to a 3rd-place finish, guiding them in the Serie B playoffs, Latina got to the final but lost out promotion to Serie A to A.C. Cesena after losing the two legged final 4–2 on aggregate.

After returning to A.S. Roma, on 26 June, Viviani's agent revealed that his future would depend on Roma's plans for the player under manager Rudi Garcia.[11]

On 21 July 2014, Roma confirmed that they had let the player discuss terms with Championship side Leeds United.[12] The player was also left out of the Roma squad for their pre-season tour.[13][14] On 22 July 2014, Viviani was set to sign for Leeds United on a season long loan deal,[15] and he was in attendance on that day for Leeds' 2–0 pre-season friendly defeat against Mansfield Town.[16] However, the transfer of Viviani to Leeds dramatically fell through despite the player attending pre season games.[17]

After his Leeds move fell through, he re-joined Serie B side Latina.

Verona

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On 30 June 2015 Viviani was signed by Verona for €4 million.[18]

Bologna

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On 31 August 2016, Viviani joined fellow Serie A side Bologna on a season-long loan deal.[19] On 20 November, he scored his first league goal for Bologna, a free-kick and assisted Mattia Destro's headed goal that put Bologna level, before Blerim Džemaili made it 2–1, followed by Viviani's splendid set-piece which put the game to bed and allowed Bologna to claim a 3–1 home victory over Palermo; ending a six-game winless run for Roberto Donadoni's side.[20]

SPAL

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He joined newly promoted Serie A side S.P.A.L. 2013 in the summer of 2017, during his first season he scored 3 times in 27 games as helped keep the club in Serie A and signed a permanent deal with the club in June 2018.[21]

Frosinone

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On 24 January 2019, Viviani joined to Frosinone on loan with an option to buy until 30 June 2019.[22]

Livorno

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On 2 September 2019, Viviani joined Serie B side Livorno on loan until 30 June 2020.[23]

Brescia

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On 25 August 2022, Viviani moved to Brescia.[24]

Ternana

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On 8 September 2023, Viviani signed a three-season contract with Ternana.[25]

International career

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Viviani played for the Azzurrini at 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship elite qualification. In 2011–12 season, he received a call-up from Italy national under-20 football team for the first round of Four Nations Tournament, which the fixture of the "tournament" would be spread over the year.[26] He was made captain of the Italy national under-20 football team by manager Luigi Di Biagio.

On 25 April 2012 he made his debut with the Italy U-21, in a friendly match won 4–1 against Scotland. In November 2013, Viviani scored a freekick in a 3–0 victory against the Northern Ireland U21s.[2]

On 10–12 March 2014 was called up to a training squad for the senior Italy national football team by the then Manager Cesare Prandelli, the training squad was organized in order to see some of the younger players ahead of the 2014 World Cup in June 2014.[27]

He participated at the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship played in Czech Republic.

Style of play

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Viviani is a deep-lying playmaker who plays primarily as a 'Regista' in the defensive midfield position; he is also renowned for his ability from free kicks. His style of play has been compared to compatriots Andrea Pirlo and Marco Verratti.[28][16]

Honours

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Latina

References

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  1. ^ "Alla scoperta di Federico Viviani, dalla Primavera alla ricerca di un posto in Prima Squadra". Tutto Mercato Web (in Italian). 2 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Italy U21 3–0 Northern Ireland U21: Late Double Secures Azzurrini Win". Forza Italian Football. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  3. ^ "PRIMAVERA TIM CUP: THE TROPHY COMES BACK TO ROME!". AS Roma. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  4. ^ "PROLUNGAMENTO CONTRATTI ECONOMICI" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Operazioni di mercato" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Maniero-Viviani non bastano ad un Pescara versione "groviera": il Varese vince 3–2". Prima Di Noi (in Italian). 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Viviani takes Pescara-Avellino ends 1–1". Hurra Avellino (in Italian). 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  8. ^ "LATINA VS NOVARA". SBS. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Empoli Cruise Past Crotone To Close In On Serie A". Forza Italian Football. 11 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Latina 2 Ternana 0". Goal. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Calciomercato Roma, sirene inglesi sul futuro di Viviani". Corriere Dello Sport (in Italian). 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ^ "Home from Rome: Leeds open talks with Federico Viviani". Yorkshire Post. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  13. ^ "AS Roma Official Website".
  14. ^ "Leeds United opens talks with Roma midfielder Viviani - Yorkshire Evening Post". Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  15. ^ "» Roma's Viviani will sign with Leeds today". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Mansfield Town 2 Leeds United 0 – Whites handed an early wake-up call". Yorkshire Evening Post. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  17. ^ "Leeds United: Agent blamed as Sorensen loan deal collapses". Yorkshire Evening Post. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  18. ^ "OPERAZIONI DI MERCATO Federico Viviani – Lorenzo Pellegrini" (PDF) (in Italian). A.S. Roma. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Viviani signs for Bologna". Bologna F.C. 1909. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Bologna 3–1 Palermo". www.espn.co.uk. PA Sport (ESPN). 20 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  21. ^ "Official: SPAL sign Verona pair". Football Italia. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  22. ^ "UFFICIALE: SPAL, Viviani in prestito al Frosinone" (in Italian). Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  23. ^ "UFFICIALE: Livorno, colpo da novanta con Viviani dalla SPAL". Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  24. ^ "Federico Viviani è un nuovo giocatore del Brescia" (in Italian). Brescia. 25 August 2022. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Dal Brescia arriva Federico Viviani, in Lombardia si trasferisce Fabrizio Paghera" [Federico Viviani arrives from Brescia, Fabrizio Paghera moves to Lombardy] (in Italian). Ternana. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  26. ^ "UNDER 20, I CONVOCATI PER IL MATCH DEL 4 NAZIONI CONTRO LA SVIZZERA". FIGC (in Italian). 26 August 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  27. ^ "Viviani return from the Stage with Prandelli". Corriere Dello Sport. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  28. ^ "Viviani studied by Pirlo and Verratti. And Garcia wants immediately to Rome". Tutto Mercato. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
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