Matteo SERENI

On the football field you can survive by your instinct, especially if you are a goalkeeper. In every day life, though, you must couple your instinct with some selfcontrol, especially if you are an athlete. Matteo Sereni claims he became a reliable "number one" when realized this simple mechanism of sport. Before that, he was a common 20 years old boy who loved to have fun in the night, dancing with friends. It wasn't exactly the best lifestyle for someone who wants to be succesful as a football player.

Sereni, now, is still only 23, but his conduct and words are those of a mature man. He finally found his own balance and understood the world where he lives. Nevertheless, on the field, he still remains a spectacular goalkeeper able to give emotions to his fans. Sereni has always had a clear picture of his future since football is almost a compulsory subject in his family: Giorgio, his father, played 98 games in Serie A before succesfully coaching for 20 years. In addition Matteo is a natural leader, able to drive his teammates, and willing to climb the steps toward the success.

He cleverly exploited the biggest opportunity of his life during the 1995-96 season. Matteo was the third goalkeeper of Sampdoria behind a legend like Zenga and a great prospect like Pagotto. However they both happened to be injured at the same time and Matteo proved to be ready to play. He actually played just 10 games in two seasons with Sampdoria but they were enough for him to be noticed. This year he went to Piacenza, a team which struggles to stay in Serie A.

However Matteo is happy about the great opportunity to play as a starter for the first time. So far he has been keeping his promises and it's not just a fluke if Piacenza suffered less goals than the other teams which occupy the low part of the italian standing.