Romano Perticone

One of the most experienced players on this squad, Romano Perticone has had an eventful career. At 34 years old, he has played in all three divisions of Italian football, from A to C.

Romano was born on August 13, 1986 in Melzo, about 12 miles east of Milan. He grew up playing for AC Milan’s Primavera, and eventually got playing time with the senior team in 2005. His debut came on May 20, 2005 at San Siro, when Milan played Palermo. Coming on in the 73rd minute, Milan drew that match 3-3.

The upcoming summer saw a young Romano loaned to AS Pizzighettone, in Serie C. There he made 22 appearances, gaining professional football experience.

The following summer, Romano was loaned out to Hellas Verona, this time in Serie B. Playing 14 matches throughout the season, Verona finished in 18th, meaning they were in a playout with Spezia. They lost, however Romano would be going back to Milan due to the loan expiring.

Milan this time loaned the center back to Cremonese, who were in Serie C at the time. Romano, gaining experience, got 27 matches in. His first goal came on December 8, 2007 against Lecco. He then scored another goal a month later against Cavese. A great season for him, which saw him move to Livorno the next summer, transferring on a permanent deal from Milan.

He showed a lot of potential, and the first season with Livorno was Romano’s best yet. Back in Serie B, Romano was a key defender for the Livorno backline. After finishing third, which saw Romano play 35 matches, Livorno entered the promotion playoffs. Up against Brescia, he played the entire second leg, which saw Livorno win 3-0, and were promoted to Serie A.

In Serie A, Romano played 26 matches. Unfortunately for the team, Livorno went straight back down to Serie B, finishing in 20th. It did, however, give Romano valuable experience.

It wasn’t all lost for Perticone, however. The next winter transfer window, Sampdoria got Romano on a loan deal. He didn’t play in any games, and Samp were relegated as well.

Through 2012 and 2018, Romano played at five different clubs. Starting with Modena, then Novara, Empoli, Trapani, and Cesena. During those years, he made 168 appearances in Serie B.

Before coming to Cittadella, he made one last stop, this time at Salernitana. He was there for one year, raking 10 appearances for the club. He did not play in the playout against Venezia, which Salernitana eventually won.

A last minute signing saw Perticone land in Cittadella, at the end of the summer of 2019. His first match came on September 21, 2019 in a 1-0 loss at Empoli. During his two seasons at the club, he has made 54 appearances. Still looking for his first Cittadella goal, Perticone provides depth and experience within the team. Not only a leader, but also a fighter, as he is statistically the most experienced player on the team. We hope that he can continue being a big part of the Cittadella defense!