Lupatelli was born in Perugia. He won a scudetto while playing for A.S. Roma in season 2000–01. A Roma youth product, Lupatelli was farmed to Chievo for the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons, after he played just 12 Serie A games for the capital club, wearing the number 10 jersey, despite being a goalkeeper, because of a bet he made with friends. He was sold to Chievo for 3 billion Italian lire in a co-ownership deal in 2002. In the 2003–04 season, he returned to Roma for €900,000, as the backup of Ivan Pelizzoli.