Armando Madonna
Encyclopedia
Armando Madonna is an Italian
football manager
and former player. He is the current manager of Piacenza
in the Italian Serie B
.
, Madonna made his professional debut in 1981 for Atalanta
; he then spent five seasons with Piacenza
before to return to Bergamo in 1988. He then played for Lazio
during the 1990–91 season; this was followed by two spells at Piacenza and SPAL
.
In 1993, at the age of 30, Madonna accepted to return to his hometown of Alzano Lombardo, joining local team Alzano Virescit
, who were playing Serie D
at the time of his signing. He spent a total of nine consecutive seasons with Alzano, being protagonist of the team's rise into the highest ranks of Italian football, including a historical promotion to Serie B in 1998–99. He retired in 2002, aged 39.
's Under-19 (Primavera) squad. On 26 May 2008 he was surprisingly appointed as new head coach of the seriani, following the dismissal of Elio Gustinetti
, with only one game left before of the end of the regular season. He also led Albinoleffe to the promotion playoffs, defeating Brescia
in the semi-finals, but losing 2–1 on aggregate to U.S. Lecce
in the finals. He was recently confirmed as AlbinoLeffe boss for the 2008–09 season
but removed after a few months due to poor results, and replaced by veteran coach Emiliano Mondonico
.
His son, Nicola Madonna
, is a footballer and was an AlbinoLeffe player.
On July 2010 he was announced as new head coach of Piacenza
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
football manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former player. He is the current manager of Piacenza
Piacenza Calcio
Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
in the Italian Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
.
Playing
A midfielderMidfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, Madonna made his professional debut in 1981 for Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
; he then spent five seasons with Piacenza
Piacenza Calcio
Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
before to return to Bergamo in 1988. He then played for Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
during the 1990–91 season; this was followed by two spells at Piacenza and SPAL
Spal 1907
SPAL 1907 is an Italian football club, based in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1907 as Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor and was refounded in 2005....
.
In 1993, at the age of 30, Madonna accepted to return to his hometown of Alzano Lombardo, joining local team Alzano Virescit
F.C. AlzanoCene 1909
Football Club AlzanoCene 1909 is an Italian association football club from Alzano Lombardo and Cene, Lombardy. It currently plays in Serie D.- AlzanoCene :...
, who were playing Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
at the time of his signing. He spent a total of nine consecutive seasons with Alzano, being protagonist of the team's rise into the highest ranks of Italian football, including a historical promotion to Serie B in 1998–99. He retired in 2002, aged 39.
Coaching
On 2003, Madonna was appointed as youth team coach of AlbinoLeffeU.C. AlbinoLeffe
Unione Calcio AlbinoLeffe is an Italian association football club based in Leffe and also representing the town of Albino, in the Province of Bergamo, Lombardy. AlbinoLeffe plays its home games at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium, in the city of Bergamo, and its official colors are dark blue and...
's Under-19 (Primavera) squad. On 26 May 2008 he was surprisingly appointed as new head coach of the seriani, following the dismissal of Elio Gustinetti
Elio Gustinetti
Elio Gustinetti is an Italian football manager.- Leffe and Albinese :Gustinetti started his coaching career in 1988 with Serie D club Leffe, ending the season in third place. He then moved at Promozione club Albinese, leading them to win the league and gaining promotion to Serie D...
, with only one game left before of the end of the regular season. He also led Albinoleffe to the promotion playoffs, defeating Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
in the semi-finals, but losing 2–1 on aggregate to U.S. Lecce
U.S. Lecce
Unione Sportiva Lecce or simply U.S. Lecce is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia who play in the Italian Serie A. After being crowned Serie B champions in 2009–10, the team successfully managed to avoid relegation in 2010-11....
in the finals. He was recently confirmed as AlbinoLeffe boss for the 2008–09 season
Serie B 2008-09
The 2008–09 Serie B season was the seventy-seventh since its establishment. A total of 22 teams will contest the league, 15 of which will be returning from the 2007–08 season, four of which will have been promoted from Serie C1 , and three relegated from Serie A.-Teams:Noted teams featured in the...
but removed after a few months due to poor results, and replaced by veteran coach Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico is an Italian football manager. He last served as head coach of Serie B side AlbinoLeffe.-Career:...
.
His son, Nicola Madonna
Nicola Madonna
Nicola Madonna is an Italian footballer who plays for Spezia Calcio.Madonna previously joined AlbinoLeffe in joint-ownership bid. AlbinoLeffe got full ownership from Atalanta by blind auction between club in summer 2006...
, is a footballer and was an AlbinoLeffe player.
On July 2010 he was announced as new head coach of Piacenza
Piacenza Calcio
Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
.