Matteo Lovato
Italian footballer (born 2000)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matteo Lovato (born 14 February 2000) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie B club Empoli on loan from Salernitana.
|
Lovato playing for Atalanta in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 February 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Monselice, Italy[1] | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Empoli (on loan from Salernitana) | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2016 | Padova | ||
| 2016–2019 | Genoa | ||
| 2018–2019 | → Padova (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2020 | Padova | 17 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Hellas Verona | 25 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Atalanta | 6 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Cagliari (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2022– | Salernitana | 30 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Torino (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Sassuolo (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2025– | → Empoli (loan) | 22 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2020–2023 | Italy U21 | 15 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 09:24, 21 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 June 2023 | |||
Club career
Early years
Lovato spent his early years in the youth teams of Padova before moving to Genoa's under-17 team at age 16, where he made 18 appearances and scored two goals.[3] Lovato did not join Genoa's Primavera team, though; he returned to Padova on loan in January 2018.[4]
On 25 August 2019, Lovato made his Serie C debut with Padova under coach Salvatore Sullo, as a starter in a 3–1 away victory against Virtus Verona. He would remain with the club for the first half of the 2019–20 season, accumulating 18 appearances in all competitions.[3]
Hellas Verona
On 31 January 2020, Hellas Verona announced the acquisition of Lovato for a reported fee of €500,000.[3][5][6] He made his Serie A debut with the club on 18 July 2020 under coach Ivan Jurić as a late substitute for Koray Günter in a 1–1 home draw against Atalanta.[7][8]
The next season, Lovato broke into the starting lineup following the sale of Marash Kumbulla.[9][10] He made a total of 24 appearances for Verona, helping the club to a 10th-place finish.[11]
Atalanta
On 31 July 2021, Lovato signed for Atalanta on a four-year contract, for a reported fee of €8 million plus €3 million in bonuses.[12]
Loan to Cagliari
On 3 January 2022, Lovato joined Cagliari on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.[13]
Salernitana
Lovato joined Salernitana on 6 July 2022 on a five-year contract,[14] as part of a deal in which Éderson moved the other way.[15]
Loan to Torino
On 31 January 2024, Lovato moved on loan to Torino, with an option to buy.[16]
Loan to Sassuolo
On 7 August 2024, Lovato joined Sassuolo on loan, with an option to buy and a conditional obligation to buy.[17]
Loan to Empoli
On 18 August 2025, Lovato was loaned to Empoli, with a conditional obligation to buy.[18]
International career
On 12 November 2020, Lovato made his debut with the Italy U21 playing as a starter in a qualifying match won 2–1 against Iceland in Reykjavík.[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 20 February 2026[20]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Padova | 2019–20 | Serie C | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| Hellas Verona | 2019–20 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| Total | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||||
| Atalanta | 2021–22 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Cagliari (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Salernitana | 2022–23 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | ||||
| Torino (loan) | 2023–24 | Serie A | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Sassuolo (loan) | 2024–25 | Serie B | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| Empoli (loan) | 2025–26 | Serie B | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 149 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 2 | ||