Date of birth 23 March 1984 (age 29)
Place of birth Naples, Italy
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 75 kg
Playing position Midfielder
Francesco "Ciccio" Lodi (born March 23, 1984 in Naples) is an Italian footballer, who plays for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A. Lodi is regarded as one of the finest free kick takers in the Italian Serie A.
Club Career
Empoli F.C.
He started his career as part of Empoli youth system, being later promoted to the first team in 2003. His senior debut came during the 2003-2004 Serie A season. During the winter transfer market, Empoli opted to loan the player out to Vicenza Calcio, In the Italian Serie B, for the player to gain regular playing time. Lodi went on to make 11 appreances for the biancorossi, before returning to Empoli for the 2004-2005 Serie B season, following their relegation. In his first full season with the Tuscan side, Lodi made 27 league appearances, scoring 6 goals, helping earn instant promotion back to the Serie A. Lodi remained with Empoli, his first full season in the Serie A. The midfielder made just 17 appearances however, and failed to hold down first team football. He scored no goals.
Loan to Frosinone
For the 2006-2007 Lega Calcio season, Empoli loaned the 22 year old to Serie B side Frosinone Calcio. Lodi instantly earned a starting role with the club, making 40 appearances, out of a possible 42, scoring 11 goals during the season. Despite his form, Empoli opted to keep the player at the Latium-based club, where Lodi would continue his form. Lodi went on to make 41 appearances for the second division side and scored a very impressive 20 goals as a midfielder.
Return to Empoli
Following Empoli's relegation from Serie A, the loan was not re-newed and the player spent the 2008-2009 Serie B season with Empoli. He again performed with high standards, making 41 appearances and scoring 13 goals in league play. His form over 3 seasons, led to interest from a host of Serie A clubs, including Udinese Calcio, Atalanta B.C., and Chievo Verona. At the start of the 2009-10 season, Lodi scored 3 goals in the first 3 games of Empoli's season, and finally, he joined Udinese Calcio on loan for the remainder of the 2009-10 Serie A season.
Udinese Calcio
On August 28, 2010, Lodi officially joined Udinese Calcio on loan from Empoli. During the season, Lodi found first team football hard to come by, due to the presences of established midfielders such as Alexis Sanchez, Mauricio Isla, Gökhan Inler, and Kwadwo Asamoah. Lodi went on to make 19 league appearances, scoring 1 goal. Udinese did not use the option to purchase the player outright, and hence he returned to Empoli on June 30, 2010.
Return to Frosinone
Following his Serie A top flight experience with Udinese, Lodi returned to Empoli but was instantly sold to Frosinone Calcio on a co-ownership deal. In his return to Frosinone, Lodi returned immediately to first team football, making 23 appearances (out of a possible 23), and scoring 7 goals prior to the January transfer market, in which he again transferred clubs.
Calcio Catania
On January 31, 2011, Empoli bought Lodi's contract outright from Frosinone, and then immediately sold him on a co-ownership deal to Catania Calcio for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. Catania was also given the option to buy the player's contract on a full basis and can exercise this deal in June 2011.[1] His first two appearances for the Sicilian side were very low key, however on February 13, 2011, Lodi scored two fantastic freekicks in a comeback 3-2 victory for Catania, against U.S. Lecce. Lodi was also the scorer of a stunning freeckick against Juventus in the 96th minute of play, ending the game in a draw for Catania. In June 2011, Catania utilized their option to buy out Lodi's contract on a full basis. He has since made 83 league appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals. He also has 3 goals in 4 appearances in the 2012-13 Coppa Italia.
Lodi is currently part of a record-breaking Catania outfit that picked up 56 points from 38 Serie A matches. This performance sees the club also break its record number of home victories in a single season, its record number of victories overall in a single top flight campaign, as well as its record points total in Serie A for the fifth consecutive season.
International career
Although he played well for the Italian U-19 team, Lodi made his Italy U-21 debut against Croatia in a friendly match, August 15, 2006, at age of 22. He missed major events like the UEFA U-21 Championship 2006. He took part in 2001 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship, the last named as U16 event.
His late call-up to U-21 side was due to competition from highly talented players such as Palladino, Pazzini and Bianchi, Pepe.
Due to the UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 age limit change, new coach Pierluigi Casiraghi called him up as senior member of the squad.
Honours and awards
2003 UEFA U-19 Championship
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