Marco Palestra
Italian footballer (born 2005)
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Marco Palestra (born 3 March 2005) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Serie A club Cagliari, on loan from Atalanta.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 March 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Buccinasco, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Cagliari (on loan from Atalanta) | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2014 | GS Assago | ||
| 2014–2015 | Inter Milan | ||
| 2014–2023 | Atalanta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Atalanta U23 | 40 | (3) |
| 2023– | Atalanta | 9 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Cagliari (loan) | 21 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023–2024 | Italy U19 | 9 | (1) |
| 2024 | Italy U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2024– | Italy U21 | 8 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:13, 24 January 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 November 2025 | |||
Club career
Palestra began playing football with GS Assago where he stayed four years, had a year long stint with Inter Milan's academy before finally finishing his development with Atalanta's academy starting in 2014. Originally a central midfielder, at U17 level he was converted to a winger and then a right-back.[1] He was promoted to the newly created Atalanta U23's in their debut season in the 2023–24 Serie C.[2] He made his senior and professional debut with the senior Atalanta team as a substitute in a 4–0 UEFA Europa League win over Raków Częstochowa on 14 December 2023.[3]
On 26 August 2025, Palestra joined Cagliari on loan until the end of the 2025–26 season.[4]
International career
Palestra is a youth international for Italy. In September 2023, he was called up to the Italy U18s for a set of friendlies.[5] In November 2023 he was called up to the Italy U19s for a set of 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches.[6]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 24 January 2026[7]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atalanta U23 | 2023–24 | Serie C | 40 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 3 | ||
| Atalanta | 2023–24 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Cagliari (loan) | 2025–26 | Serie A | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 70 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 78 | 4 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
