Riccardo Saponara

Riccardo Saponara (Italian pronunciation: [rikˈkardo sapoˈnaːra]; born 21 December 1991) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie A club Fiorentina.

Club Career

Ravenna

Born in Forli to parents from Palazzo San Gervasio, Basilicata, South Italy, Saponara started his professional career at Ravenna. In January 2009, he was signed by Empoli in a co-ownership deal for €700,000. In June 2010, Saponara was signed by Empoli outright for another €550,000.

Empoli and Milan

Originally played as a winger, Empoli manager Maurizio Sarri switched him into a central position behind the strikers in the 2012–13 Serie B season to devastating effect as he grabbed 13 goals and 15 assists in 40 appearances for the club. He led Empoli to the Serie B promotion play-off finals where they lost to Livorno.

In January 2013, Milan signed the 21-year-old Saponara from Empoli on the condition that he remained at Empoli until the end of the season. Milan paid €3.75 million for his co-ownership on a 4+1⁄2-year contract, which Parma signed Empoli's half for €2.6 million in summer 2013. He played just 218 minutes of Serie A football spread across seven league games, failing to contribute any goals or assists in the 2013–14 season. In June 2014, Milan acquired Parma's half for just €1 million.

Return to Empoli

On 16 January 2015, Saponara returned to Empoli with the formula of the loan with the right of redemption. He made his comeback for the club four days later in Roma - Empoli 2–1 in Coppa Italia. He made comeback in the league ten days later in Empoli's 1–2 defeat to Udinese, opening the scoring with a penalty kick; his first goal in Serie A and his second during his experience in Tuscany.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Риккардо Сапонара (russian)