1. Playing Career
Alberto Aquilani's playing career spanned several top-tier European clubs, beginning in his native Italy with AS Roma, followed by moves to England, Portugal, and Spain, interspersed with numerous loan spells. His career was marked by flashes of brilliant play often hampered by a recurring injury history.
1.1. Club Career
Aquilani's club career started at the youth level with AS Roma, where he spent a significant portion of his early development and rose through the ranks before embarking on a journey that included multiple stints across Europe.
1.1.1. Roma
Alberto Aquilani, born in Rome, grew up in a wealthy suburban family and developed a strong affinity for his hometown club, AS Roma, from a young age. In 2001, at the age of 16, he received contract offers from prominent English clubs Chelsea and Arsenal. However, driven by his lifelong dream of playing for Roma, he declined these offers to remain with his beloved club.
He made his professional debut in Serie A at the age of 18 on 10 May 2002 under then-manager Fabio Capello in a match against Torino, which Roma won 3-1. To gain valuable first-team experience, Aquilani was loaned to Serie B club Triestina for the entire 2003-04 season. Upon his return to Roma for the 2004-05 season, he quickly broke into the starting eleven, making a total of 38 appearances. On 31 March 2005, he signed a new five-year contract with Roma, with a progressive annual gross salary starting at 1.10 M EUR in 2005 and reaching 1.79 M EUR by 2010.
In the 2005-06 season, Aquilani played a crucial role in Roma's success. He scored the second goal in the Derby della Capitale against Lazio on 26 February 2006, a victory that saw Roma break the record for the most consecutive wins in Serie A. During this period, he earned the nickname "Il Principino" (The Little Prince) due to his resemblance in both appearance and playing style to former Roma legend Giuseppe Giannini, who was known as "Il Principe" (The Prince).
The 2006-07 season was anticipated to be a breakout year for Aquilani, who was given the prestigious number 8 shirt, previously worn by Matteo Ferrari. Unfortunately, a thigh injury sidelined him for several months, severely limiting his contributions. He returned to the field in May 2007, featuring in three matches towards the end of the season. In the 2007-08 season, he continued to impress, scoring two long-range goals in the first two matches against Palermo and Siena. Despite another injury in October 2007, he returned to the squad in January 2008. Aquilani also participated in a successful UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid during this period. Throughout these years, he contributed to Roma's consecutive Coppa Italia titles in 2007 and 2008, as well as the 2007 Supercoppa Italiana victory.
His injury woes persisted into the 2008-09 season; he was injured again on 22 October 2008 against Chelsea. Although he returned to action on 11 January 2009 against Milan, he picked up yet another injury in February. While he made a brief substitute appearance against Arsenal on 11 March 2009, he played no further part for the remainder of the season. On 26 May 2009, Aquilani signed a new contract with Roma until 2013, extending his previous deal by three years. This contract offered an annual gross salary of 3.20 M EUR for the 2008-09 season, rising to 3.60 M EUR in 2009-10, 3.90 M EUR in 2010-11, and ultimately 4.20 M EUR in the final two years of the contract.
1.1.2. Liverpool
On 5 August 2009, Liverpool announced that they had reached an agreement with Roma for the transfer of Aquilani, pending a medical examination. The club confirmed on 7 August 2009 that he had successfully passed the medical and signed a five-year contract. Roma disclosed the transfer fee as 20.00 M EUR. Aquilani was handed the number 4 shirt, previously worn by Sami Hyypiä.
His arrival at Liverpool was delayed by rehabilitation for a pre-existing injury, leading to him spending several months recovering. He made his debut for Liverpool's reserves on 21 October 2009, playing 15 minutes as a substitute in a 2-0 win against Sunderland. His first competitive appearance for the senior team was on 28 October 2009, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a 2-1 League Cup defeat to Arsenal. He made his Premier League debut on 9 November as a late substitute in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City. Aquilani's first start for Liverpool came on 9 December 2009 in a UEFA Champions League match against Fiorentina, which Liverpool lost 2-1. His first Premier League start was on 26 December 2009 against Wolves, where he received a standing ovation from the Kop when substituted in the 84th minute.
Aquilani's performances improved as the season progressed. He provided his second assist for Liverpool in their 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers, again setting up Dirk Kuyt. He scored his first goal for Liverpool on 15 March 2010 against Portsmouth, also assisting Fernando Torres for Liverpool's fourth goal, and was voted man of the match by fans on the official club website. He earned another man of the match award in his next league start against Fulham in a goalless draw at Anfield. In his subsequent start, he contributed three assists during a 4-0 away win against Burnley. On 29 April 2010, he scored a crucial goal against Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, equalizing the aggregate score to 2-2 just before half-time. Despite a strong performance from Aquilani, Liverpool was ultimately eliminated from the competition on the away goal rule after Diego Forlán scored in extra time. Aquilani again received the LFC Man of the Match award for his display.
He played in Liverpool's final two games of the season, a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Anfield and a goalless draw away to Hull City. In his debut season for Liverpool, Aquilani made 26 appearances and scored twice, though he rarely played the full 90 minutes. Following the departure of manager Rafael Benítez in June 2010, new manager Roy Hodgson included him in pre-season matches, but publicly stated in mid-August that Aquilani might return to Italy on loan for a full season to gain regular match fitness.
1.1.3. Loan to Juventus
On 21 August 2010, a deal was struck between Liverpool and Juventus for Aquilani to join the Italian club on a one-season loan, with an option for a permanent transfer. Juventus reportedly had an option to buy him for 16.00 M EUR on a three-year contract. He made his debut for the Bianconeri on 12 September, coming on as a substitute for Simone Pepe in a 3-3 draw with Sampdoria. He made another substitute appearance on 23 September in a 3-1 home defeat to Palermo. His first start for Juventus came on 26 September in a 4-2 win against Cagliari. He then played 80 minutes against reigning champions Inter Milan in a goalless draw before scoring his first goal for the club on 17 October in a 4-0 home win against Lecce. He played his first full 90 minutes away to Bologna in another 0-0 draw. On 5 February, he played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 away win over Cagliari, and his next match was a 1-0 win against Inter.
Aquilani became a valuable presence in the Juventus midfield due to his passing ability and established himself as a regular central midfielder. In a match against his former club Roma on 13 November, he assisted Vincenzo Iaquinta's opening goal and was named man of the match. Despite Juventus finishing a disappointing seventh in Serie A and missing out on European qualification, Aquilani made 33 appearances, scoring 2 goals and providing 5 assists, showing signs of recovery. On 21 April 2011, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish stated that Aquilani still had a future at Liverpool, despite claims that the player wished to remain in Italy. Ultimately, Juventus decided against making his transfer permanent, and Aquilani returned to Liverpool.
1.1.4. Loan to Milan
On 4 July 2011, Aquilani began pre-season training with Liverpool, although his agent reiterated his desire to remain at Juventus in Serie A. He was included in Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia, marking his return to the team in a friendly against Guangdong Sunray Cave on 13 July and subsequently impressing against a Malaysian XI on 16 July 2011.
Despite his impressive pre-season performances, Aquilani joined Milan on loan for the 2011-12 season on 25 August 2011, with Milan holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish explained that the loan was a result of an inability to fit the player into the team's preferred formation. Liverpool's director of football, Damien Comolli, commended Aquilani's professionalism during the discussions, noting that his only desire was to play football. He was primarily utilized as an inside half at Milan.
Aquilani made his debut for the Rossoneri in the opening game of the 2011-12 season against Lazio, having an immediate impact by being involved in the build-up for Milan's first goal with a pass to Antonio Cassano, and assisting the second goal himself from a corner-kick. On 13 September 2011, he made his European debut for Milan in the UEFA Champions League against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou, coming off the bench to help Milan secure a 2-2 draw. On 18 September 2011, Aquilani scored his first goal for Milan in his second Serie A match for the club, heading home a cross from Cassano to open the scoring against Napoli at the San Paolo in Naples.
1.1.5. Fiorentina
After his loan spell, Aquilani returned to Liverpool for pre-season training ahead of their 2012-13 season. He was included in the squad for Liverpool's pre-season tour of North America and played 45 minutes in the opening match against Toronto FC. However, Liverpool accepted an undisclosed fee from Fiorentina in Italy for the midfielder, and his transfer was completed on 3 August 2012. Following the move, Aquilani stated that only the excessive price Liverpool had placed on him had prevented him from completing permanent transfers to Milan and Juventus after his successful loan spells. Fiorentina later disclosed that Aquilani's transfer had only cost the club 790.00 K EUR in other costs. Notably, Liverpool allowed Aquilani to leave the club for free, meaning Roma did not receive any bonus from a prior clause. The transfer saw Aquilani essentially swap places with Riccardo Montolivo at Fiorentina.
On 26 January 2014, in a match against Genoa, Aquilani scored his first career hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw. He reached the 2014 Coppa Italia Final with Fiorentina that season, where they were defeated by Napoli. In the following season, Fiorentina finished the league in fourth place for a third consecutive season, while also reaching the semi-finals of the 2014-15 UEFA Europa League.
1.1.6. Sporting CP
Following the conclusion of the 2014-15 season, Aquilani became a free agent as his contract with Fiorentina was not renewed. In August 2015, he signed a three-year contract with Portuguese club Sporting CP, reportedly worth 1.00 M EUR per season.
1.1.7. Pescara and Sassuolo
On 26 August 2016, Aquilani signed with Pescara, on a one-year contract with an option for a two-year extension. His tenure there was short, as on 3 January 2017, Aquilani signed with Sassuolo on loan until the end of the 2016-17 season.
1.1.8. Las Palmas
On 25 August 2017, after his departure from Pescara, Aquilani signed a two-year contract with Spanish La Liga side Las Palmas as a free agent. In July 2018, following the club's relegation from La Liga, Aquilani was released from his contract.
1.1.9. Retirement
After a year without a club following his release from Las Palmas, Alberto Aquilani announced his retirement from professional football on 28 June 2019.
1.2. International Career
Aquilani represented Italy at various youth levels, showcasing his talent from a young age. He was capped for Italy at the 2001 UEFA European Under-16 Championship qualifying stages. In 2003, he was part of the Italy team that won the 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he scored one goal and was notably named the tournament's best player. He was subsequently promoted to the U21 team and participated in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign, though he missed the final tournament due to injury.
Aquilani made his senior international debut for the Italy national team on 15 November 2006 in a 1-1 friendly draw against Turkey. He was a regular in the 2007 U-21 Championship held in the Netherlands, where he scored two goals and was named in the "UEFA Team of the Tournament". Italy finished 5th in that tournament, which secured their qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
He was included in the 23-man roster for UEFA Euro 2008, marking his first major international tournament. He appeared as a substitute in Italy's third group game, a 2-0 victory over France. He started Italy's quarter-final match against Spain due to the suspensions of key midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. Italy ultimately lost the match 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in regular and extra time.
Aquilani scored his first two goals for Italy during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Montenegro on 15 October 2008, netting both the opening and decisive goals in a 2-1 victory. Despite this performance, national team manager Marcello Lippi opted not to include him in the 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He returned to the national team on 14 November 2010, after an absence of one year and nine months, due to his strong performances with Juventus. In Italy's UEFA Euro 2012 qualification campaign, Aquilani played his first game in a 1-0 away win against Slovenia on 25 March 2011, playing the full 90 minutes. He also started in Italy's next match at home against Estonia on 3 June, but was substituted in the first half of the 3-0 win due to a head injury. On 10 August 2011, he scored his third international goal, a late winner in a friendly against defending world champions Spain.
Under manager Cesare Prandelli, Aquilani participated in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Italy secured a third-place finish. In the bronze medal match against Uruguay, he successfully converted a penalty in the resulting shootout. On 11 October 2013, Aquilani scored his fifth goal for Italy, a late equalizer in the team's 2-2 away draw against Denmark during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. He was an unused member of Italy's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, as the Italians suffered a group-stage elimination. In total, he made 38 appearances for Italy between 2006 and 2014, scoring 5 goals.
2. Style of Play
Aquilani was a modern, industrious, and highly versatile playmaker capable of operating in various midfield roles. He could function effectively from a holding role as a deep-lying playmaker, in a more advanced position as a trequartista or attacking midfielder, or even as a winger or wing-back on occasion. His favored position was that of an offensive-minded central midfielder or box-to-box midfielder, a role known as the "mezz'ala" in Italy. In this position, he was adept at making late attacking runs from deep into the penalty area or creating space for teammates through his intelligent movement, despite not possessing exceptional pace or physicality. Under manager Cesare Prandelli with the Italy national team, he was also occasionally deployed as a false-attacking midfielder.
Throughout his career, Aquilani received praise for his exceptional vision, creativity, and refined technique. His quick, incisive passing allowed him to dictate the tempo of his team's play in midfield. He was also noted for his energy and powerful long-range shooting ability with either foot. Due to his keen eye for goal, height, and accuracy in heading, he was also effective in aerial duels and was a precise taker of set-pieces, enabling him to contribute additional goals from midfield. Despite his considerable talent showcased in his youth, Aquilani was frequently injury prone throughout his career. This limited his playing time and adversely affected his fitness and consistency, leading some in the football world to believe he did not fully live up to his initial potential.
3. Managerial Career
Following his retirement as a player in 2019, Alberto Aquilani transitioned into a coaching career, focusing initially on youth development before taking on senior management roles. On 11 July 2019, he was appointed as the head coach of Fiorentina's under-18 team. He held this position until December 2019, when he moved up to join the first-team staff as an assistant to manager Giuseppe Iachini.
On 19 July 2020, Aquilani was appointed as the head coach of Fiorentina's Primavera (youth) squad. Under his guidance, the Primavera side successfully defended the Coppa Italia Primavera title on 26 August 2020, defeating Hellas Verona 1-0 in the final. He continued his success with the Primavera team, winning the Coppa Italia Primavera again in 2020-21 and 2021-22, making it three consecutive titles. He also guided them to victory in the Supercoppa Primavera in 2021 and 2022.
In 2023, Aquilani decided to leave Fiorentina's youth system to pursue a career as a first-team head coach. He took over at Serie B club SC Pisa, with his appointment announced on 29 June 2023. After guiding Pisa to a mid-table finish in the league during the 2023-24 season, Aquilani mutually parted ways with the club in June 2024.
4. Personal Life
Alberto Aquilani married Italian actress Michela Quattrociocche on 4 July 2012. Together, they have two daughters: Aurora, born in 2011, and Diamante, born in 2014. On 11 May 2020, it was announced that the couple had separated.
During his time at Roma, due to his frequent injuries, he was colloquially referred to by some fans as "Swarovski" (glassware), hinting at his fragility. Upon his decision to leave Roma for Liverpool, Aquilani expressed his profound regret, stating he was "very sad to leave Roma" and extended his gratitude to all Roma fans. This sentiment was echoed by then-Roma captain Francesco Totti, who openly criticized the club's front office for allowing Aquilani's departure.
5. Honours
Alberto Aquilani's career, spanning both playing and managerial roles, has been marked by several significant team and individual accolades.
5.1. Player
Roma
- Coppa Italia: 2006-07, 2007-08
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2007
Italy U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2003
Italy
- FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2013
Individual
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Player of the Tournament: 2003
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2007
5.2. Manager
Fiorentina Primavera
- Coppa Italia Primavera: 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22
- Supercoppa Primavera: 2021, 2022
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Roma | 2002-03 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2004-05 | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2005-06 | Serie A | 24 | 3 | 4 | 2 | - | 8 | 1 | - | 36 | 6 | |||
| 2006-07 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 3 | ||
| 2007-08 | Serie A | 21 | 3 | 4 | 1 | - | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 4 | ||
| 2008-09 | Serie A | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| Total | 102 | 9 | 17 | 3 | - | 27 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 149 | 15 | |||
| Triestina (loan) | 2003-04 | Serie B | 41 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 41 | 4 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2009-10 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | 26 | 2 | |
| 2010-11 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | - | 28 | 2 | |||
| Juventus (loan) | 2010-11 | Serie A | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 34 | 2 | ||
| Milan (loan) | 2011-12 | Serie A | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| Fiorentina | 2012-13 | Serie A | 25 | 7 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 27 | 7 | |||
| 2013-14 | Serie A | 31 | 6 | 3 | 0 | - | 10 | 1 | - | 44 | 7 | |||
| 2014-15 | Serie A | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 7 | 1 | - | 34 | 1 | |||
| Total | 81 | 13 | 7 | 0 | - | 17 | 2 | - | 105 | 15 | ||||
| Sporting CP | 2015-16 | Primeira Liga | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 |
| Pescara | 2016-17 | Serie A | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 9 | 1 | |||
| Sassuolo (loan) | 2016-17 | Serie A | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 16 | 0 | |||
| Las Palmas | 2017-18 | La Liga | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 23 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 358 | 33 | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 63 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 459 | 43 | ||
6.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2006 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | 5 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 October 2008 | Lecce, Italy | Montenegro | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 2-1 | |||||
| 3 | 10 August 2011 | Bari, Italy | Spain | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 31 May 2013 | Bologna, Italy | San Marino | 4-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 11 October 2013 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Denmark | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
6.3. Managerial statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | ||||
| Pisa | Italy | 1 July 2023 | 30 June 2024 | 39 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 51 | 55 | |
| Total | 39 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 51 | 55 | ||||