1. Early life and career debut
Rolando Bianchi's formative years in football began early, leading him to a prominent youth system.
1.1. Youth career
Bianchi developed his football skills within the esteemed Atalanta youth system from 1993 to 2003. He was considered a prolific scorer during his time in the youth ranks, showing early promise as a forward.
1.2. Atalanta (2000-2004)
Bianchi made his professional debut in Serie A at the age of 18 during the 2000-01 Serie A season. His first appearance for Atalanta's senior team came on 17 June 2001, playing the final 10 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Juventus. This was his only appearance during that season. In the subsequent 2001-02 Serie A season, he made three additional appearances for the bergamaschi. He continued to feature in the 2002-03 Serie A season, making 16 appearances. Despite his strong record in the youth divisions, Bianchi played 21 games for the first team across these seasons without scoring any goals.
2. Club career
Bianchi embarked on a dynamic club career that saw him play for numerous teams across Italy, England, and Spain, contributing significantly at various stages.
2.1. Cagliari (2004-2005)
In January 2004, Bianchi moved to Serie B team Cagliari under a co-ownership deal. He played 14 matches and scored two goals, playing a role in helping Cagliari secure promotion to Serie A. He remained with Cagliari for the 2004-05 Serie A season, where he scored an additional two goals in 25 matches. Overall, during his time at Cagliari, he made 39 appearances and scored 4 goals.
2.2. Reggina (2005-2007)
Bianchi was transferred to Reggina in 2005. His first season with the club was significantly hampered by a serious knee injury he sustained early in the campaign. Despite the injury, he managed to recover and play nine games late in the season, scoring one goal.
The 2006-07 Serie A season marked a turning point in Bianchi's career. Under the guidance of coach Walter Mazzarri, he formed an effective two-striker partnership with Nicola Amoruso. Bianchi scored a remarkable 18 goals in 37 games, finishing as the league's fourth-highest goal scorer, though some reports indicated he was third. This prolific scoring record was crucial for Reggina, as the club had started the season with an 11-point deduction due to their indictment for sporting fraud (Calciopoli). Bianchi's performances were widely considered a key factor in Reggina's unexpected Serie A survival, defying expectations of relegation.
2.3. Manchester City (2007-2008)
Bianchi's impressive form for Reggina garnered attention from clubs across Europe. In July 2007, he made a move to Premier League club Manchester City for a reported fee of 8.80 M GBP, equivalent to 13.00 M EUR. He was assigned the number 10 shirt. Bianchi quickly made an impact, scoring on his debut for City against West Ham, converting a close-range finish following a pass from Elano.
His second goal in English football came in a 2-1 victory against Bristol City in the second round of the Football League Cup. Bianchi then scored his third goal for Manchester City in a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham on 9 December 2007, followed by another goal in a 4-2 victory over Bolton the following weekend. Later that month, Bianchi publicly criticized English cuisine and the local alcohol culture, stating that he could not become a full international player unless he returned to Serie A.
2.3.1. Loan to Lazio
In January 2008, Manchester City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson informed Bianchi that he would be allowed to leave the club, as he had struggled to settle in England. On 23 January 2008, Bianchi finalized a loan move to Lazio. In his debut for Lazio on 27 January, he was controversially sent off after receiving two yellow cards within five minutes as the capital club drew 0-0 with Torino. He scored his first goal for Lazio against his former club, Reggina, from a penalty kick in a 1-0 victory. At Lazio, he formed a partnership with forwards Goran Pandev and Tommaso Rocchi, and his contributions helped the club avoid the risk of relegation. Despite Bianchi's hopes that Lazio would make his move permanent, he was asked to return to Manchester City at the end of his loan spell.
2.4. Torino (2008-2013)
On 23 August 2008, after considerable speculation, Manchester City officially announced that Bianchi had signed a five-year deal with Italian club Torino for a fee of 5.00 M EUR. He was reunited with his former strike partner, Nicola Amoruso, but their partnership did not function as effectively as it had at Reggina. Despite Bianchi's individual efforts in the latter half of the season, Torino was ultimately relegated.
Bianchi became a long-serving and highly impactful player for Torino. On 18 August 2012, he scored two goals in Torino's 4-2 victory over U.S. Lecce in the third round of the Coppa Italia, marking the club's first competitive game of the new season. He continued his strong form, scoring two goals in a comprehensive 5-1 defeat of Atalanta on 30 September, reaching 70 goals with Torino. With these strikes, he entered the top 10 goal scorers for the club, tying with club legend Ezio Loik. Bianchi further contributed to the team with a key goal in a 3-2 victory over Siena on 13 January 2013, heading in a cross from Valter Birsa in the first half. He concluded his tenure at Torino as the club's 11th-highest all-time goal scorer, with a total of 77 goals. He made 180 appearances for the club.
2.5. Bologna and Atalanta (2013-2015)
On 9 July 2013, Bianchi was signed by Bologna. He wore the number 9 shirt during his season with the club. At the end of the season, Bologna was relegated.
On 5 August 2014, Bianchi returned to his former club Atalanta in a temporary loan deal for one season, with Rubén Bentancourt moving in the opposite direction to Bologna. During this loan spell, he made 21 appearances but did not score any goals. He was released by Bologna on 8 August 2015.
2.6. Mallorca and Perugia (2015-2017)
On 27 August 2015, Bianchi moved to Spain, joining RCD Mallorca in the Segunda División. His first experience in Spanish football lasted only six months. He contributed two goals in 16 matches before rescinding his contract.
On 20 January 2016, Bianchi returned to Italy, signing a 1.5-year contract with Perugia in Serie B. During his time with Perugia, he made 7 appearances and scored 1 goal.
2.7. Pro Vercelli (2017)
On 19 February 2017, Bianchi signed with Pro Vercelli. He made 11 appearances and scored 3 goals during this period. Although his contract was automatically renewed at the end of the season, he struggled to find playing opportunities and his contract was terminated on 31 August 2017. This marked the conclusion of his professional playing career.
3. International career
Rolando Bianchi represented Italy at various youth national team levels. He was selected for the Italy U-17 team from 2000 to 2001, making 2 appearances. He also played for the Italy U-20 team in 2004, where he made 3 appearances and scored 1 goal.
Bianchi was a significant player for the Italy U-21 squad from 2002 to 2006, earning 13 caps and scoring 7 goals. In the summer of 2006, he was called up to the U-21 squad for the 2006 U-21 Championships held in Portugal. During the tournament, he appeared three times and scored one goal. Despite his extensive youth international career, Bianchi never made an appearance for the senior Italy national team.
4. Playing style
As a forward, Rolando Bianchi was primarily known for his exceptional aerial ability. He possessed the physical attributes and technique to consistently win aerial duels, making him a significant threat from crosses and set-pieces. His strength in the air allowed him to score numerous headed goals and provide key flick-ons for teammates, establishing him as a traditional center-forward throughout his career.
5. Honors
Bianchi achieved several accolades throughout his football career, particularly during his youth development.
- Atalanta
- Coppa Italia Primavera: 2000-01, 2002-03
6. Retirement
Rolando Bianchi officially concluded his professional football playing career in 2017, following his departure from Pro Vercelli where he faced limited playing opportunities. As of current information, he has not undertaken any prominent subsequent roles in football.