Paolo Bianco

Paolo Bianco

Umberto Del Core, Orazio Russo, Cristian Silvestri and Paolo Bianco during a training of Catania Calcio, in Massannunziata
Personal information
Full name	Paolo Bianco
Date of birth	(1977-08-20) 20 August 1977 (age 39)
Place of birth	Foggia, Italy
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current team	Siracusa (Head coach)
Youth career
	U.S. Foggia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1999	Foggia	98	(1)
1999–2004	Treviso	148	(6)
2004–2006	Catania	72	(2)
2006–2009	Cagliari	91	(4)
2009–2010	Atalanta	21	(0)
2010–2015	Sassuolo	96	(0)
National team
1998	Italy U21	1	(0)
Teams managed
2015–2016	Sassuolo Primavera (assistant)
2016–2017	Sassuolo (assistant)
2017–	Siracusa
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Paolo Bianco (born 20 August 1977) is an Italian football coach, currently for Siracusa, and former footballer who played as a defender.

Bianco started his career within the junior ranks of U.S. Foggia, in the Italian Serie B. In 1994, the player was promoted to the first team and began to make official league appearances for his hometown club. The player did not manage to break into the club's starting line-up in his first season, making just 13 appearances, but eventually earned well over 100 caps for the club in all competitions also netting 2 official goals. The central defender was then transferred to Serie B side Treviso F.B.C. 1993, in the summer of 1999, for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Bianco's transfer to the northern club was a big step in the players career, as he instantly became a key member in the team, and eventually earned the captain's armband for his club. In his first season in Treviso, Bianco made 16 appearances, and followed that up with 22 starts the following season. His efforts were not enough to save his club from relegation, however, and he spent the next two seasons in the Serie C1. After 60 Serie C1 appearances, Bianco captained his team to promotion back into the Italian second division, and made 44 appearances for the club that season, more than any other player in the team. After 5 seasons, with the club, Bianco made 148 league appearances alone, and scored 6 goals, while making over 160 appearances for his club in all competitions. His good form led to a 2004 transfer to Serie B rivals Calcio Catania.

The player arrived at the Sicilian club in the summer of 2004. He became a regular fixture in the club's line-up and made 37 league appearances in his first season in Sicily. His impressive displays continued the following season as he made an additional 35 league appearances and helped guide the club to a second-place finish in the Serie B table, and hence, Serie A promotion. Despite helping to lead the club into the Serie A, the player was loaned to fellow Serie A side Cagliari Calcio in August 2006.