Riccardo Saponara
Saponara in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Riccardo Saponara | ||
| Date of birth | 21 December 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Forlì, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
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Current team
|
Fiorentina (on loan from Empoli) | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2004 | Sammartinese | ||
| 2004–2007 | Sporting Forlì | ||
| 2007–2009 | Ravenna | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Ravenna | 2 | (0) |
| 2009–2013 | Empoli | 84 | (12) |
| 2013–2015 | Milan | 8 | (0) |
| 2015– | Empoli | 68 | (14) |
| 2017– | → Fiorentina (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009 | Italy U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2009 | Italy U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Italy U21 | 22 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 March 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 February 2013 |
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Riccardo Saponara (Italian pronunciation: [rikˈkardo sapoˈnaːra]; born 21 December 1991) is an Italian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Fiorentina, on loan from Empoli.
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.
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 4½ 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.
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. On 22 March 2015, he scored his first brace in a 3–1 home win over Sassuolo. On 13 May, his contract was redeemed by Empoli for a reported €4 million.
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