Cristiano Lupatelli


Cristiano Lupatelli is an Italian former professional goalkeeper. He is known for his trademark goatee and sideburns with his bald head.

Career

Lupatelli was born in Perugia. He won a scudetto while playing for A.S. Roma in season 2000–01. A Roma youth product, Lupatelli was farmed to Chievo for the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons, after he played just 12 Serie A games for the capital club, wearing the number 10 jersey, despite being a goalkeeper, because of a bet he made with friends. He was sold to Chievo for 3 billion Italian lire in a co-ownership deal in 2002. In the 2003–04 season, he returned to Roma for €900,000, as the backup of Ivan Pelizzoli.
In summer 2004, he joined Fiorentina on a free transfer.
Lupatelli featured regularly for the Fiorentina first team in the 2004–05 season, but after the arrival of Sébastien Frey in 2005, Bogdan Lobonţ in the 2006–07 season, and Vlada Avramov in 2007, he became the club's third choice keeper, and was loaned out to Parma during 2005–06 season for part of Frey's deal.
Whilst on loan at Parma F.C., he was exchanged with Matteo Guardalben mid-season.
In September 2008, he joined Cagliari on a free transfer, acting as a deputy to Federico Marchetti.
He was set to become a free agent on 1 July 2010, and was not called up to the club's 2010–11 pre-season training camp.
During the 2010–11 summer transfer window, he joined Bologna on a free transfer, as Emiliano Viviano's backup.
On 8 July 2011, he joined Genoa on a free transfer, after being released from Bologna. He served as the backup to Frey once again.
On 15 July 2012, he joined Fiorentina once again, on a free transfer.
He retired from football after his contract with Fiorentina expired on 1 July 2015.
Lupatelli now serves as the goalkeeping coach for Juventus U23.