Alessandro Iannuzzi was supposed to be the future Lazio golden boy and many could have sworn he would have a great career.
He was born in Rome on October 9, 1975 and started playing football in the Lazio youth teams from a very early age.
He was part of the team that won the scudetto in 1994-95 and it was his goal that secured the final victory against Perugia at the Stadio Olimpico on June 24 1995 in front of 30,000 spectators. Under manager Domenico Caso, his teammates included Alessandro Nesta, Marco Di Vaio and Flavio Roma.
He debuted in Serie A on December 10 of that year in the game Lazio lost at Parma. He made four appearances that season and scored the equalising goal in the game against Torino at home on January 14.
In 1996-97 he was sent on loan to Vicenza where he played 17 league games and scored two goals in Serie A. It was a great season and the small team managed to win the Coppa Italia. They eliminated Milan in the quarter finals and Bologna in the semis. In the first leg of the final they lost 1-0 to Napoli but in the return match after 90 minutes they had managed to equalise, so the final would be decided in extra time. Two minutes from the end Maurizio Rossi put Vicenza ahead and in the dying minutes Iannuzzi made it three. A triumph.
In the 1998-99 season, Iannuzzi was sent on loan to Lecce in Serie A. Here he started having physical problems that limited his league appearances to just 8. Back to Lazio the following year he managed to play a couple of games before he was sold to Milan in January 1999. Here the Milan Lab tried to get him back on his feet again but failed. Between 1998 and 2001 he made only 5 appearances: two with Lazio, three with Reggina and none for Milan or Monza.
In 2001-02 he signed for Messina and here he became a player again. He stayed two seasons with the Islanders with 44 appearances and 4 goals. Unfortunately, the problems resurfaced in 2003 when he signed for Perugia. He left during the season and moved to Pescara but made just 7 appearances. At Teramo in Serie C1 even less, five. In C2 with Gualdo he played the whole year but his career was practically over. His last years he spent playing in minor leagues with Monterotondo, Guidonia, Fidene, Vis Artena, Pro Calcio Sabina and Pianoscarano.
In 2011 he became a manager. After a year with Pro Calcio Sabina he started collaborating with the Lazio youth teams. He is currently assistant to the Under 18's team.
Iannuzzi was part of the Italy military team that won the gold medal in the Mediterranean games of Bari in 1997. He also has a cap with Italy’s Under 23s.
Iannuzzi would have been a great player if he had not had so many injuries. A pity.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1993-94 | 1 | - | 1 |
1995-96 | 4 (1) | 4 (1) | - |
1998-99 | 2 | 2 | - |
Total | 7 | 1 | 1 |
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