WORLD TOP SPORTS STARS: Claudio Marchisio career statistics

Claudio Marchisio (born January 19, 1986 in Chieri, Province of Turin) is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. A product of the Juventus youth system, he has spent his whole career thus far at his hometown club, with the exception of a season-long loan spell at Empoli. Since making his breakthrough in the 2008–09 season, Marchisio has often been compared to former Juventus and Italy midfielder Marco Tardelli by the Italian press for his tenacious style of play and good reading of the game. A hard-tackling, versatile midfielder, he prefers to play in centre midfield although he is able to play as a wide midfielder.[4] Though predominantly right-footed, he possesses a powerful shot in both feet, hence his penchant for attempting shots on goal from outside the penalty box if given the chance. Contents * 1 Early life * 2 Club career o 2.1 Juventus o 2.2 Loan at Empoli o 2.3 Return to Juventus and Breakthrough o 2.4 2009-10 Season and Beyond * 3 International career * 4 Personal life * 5 Career statistics * 6 Honours * 7 References * 8 External links Early life Marchisio was born and raised in Chieri, a comune not far from Turin, to a family of Juventus fans from neighbouring Andezeno. His family were season ticket holders and he used to be a ball boy at the Stadio Delle Alpi. As a child, he developed an interest in football and was scouted during an audition match at one of Fiat's satellite sports clubs Sisport before joining the Juventus youth system as a seven-year-old. Club career Juventus While in the youth system, Marchisio played as a trequartista (second striker), modeling himself after his childhood hero Alessandro Del Piero, until he was switched to the midfield at age sixteen. During the 2005–06 season, he was called-up to train with the first team numerous times by Fabio Capello and given a squad number. He made the bench for the game away at Cagliari but remained an unused substitute. Later that season he captained the Primavera side to their first Campionato Primavera title in twelve years and a runner-up finish at the Viareggio Tournament in his last full season with the Primavera squad. After being included in the preseason friendlies, Marchisio was promoted to the first team permanently following Juventus' relegation to Serie B due to the Calciopoli scandal and given the number 15 shirt. On 19 August 2006, he made his first team debut in the Coppa Italia third round, coming on as a late substitute for Matteo Paro in a 3–0 win over A.C. Martina. In September, he captained the Primavera team for the last time in the Supercoppa Primavera, thrashing old rivals Internazionale 5–1.[8] He then made his league debut on 28 October against Frosinone as a late substitute for David Trézéguet and started his first match the following week in a 2–0 win over Brescia. During the latter half of the season, he became one of the key players in Didier Deschamps' squad despite stiff competition from some of the more senior players. He was shown a harsh red card during the second half in the 2–0 win over Napoli in Turin and was applauded by the home crowd as he left the pitch. Upon returning to the starting line-up after serving his suspension, he played the full 90 minutes in the next six matches. On 19 May 2007, he set up Alessandro Del Piero's match opener with a long cross as Juventus thrashed Arezzo 5–1 and the result secured immediate promotion to Serie A mathematically.

Claudio Marchisio