Empoli
Francesco Lodi played for which team before Dec 2000?
Francesco Lodi Francesco Lodi ( born 23 March 1984 ) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club FC Messina . Lodi usually plays as a deep lying playmaker , and is known for his passing qualities . Club career . Empoli . Lodi started his career as part of Empoli youth system , being later promoted to the first team in 2003 , despite his senior debut came during the 2000–01 season . During the winter transfer market , Empoli opted to loan the player out to Vicenza , in Serie B , for the player to gain regular playing time . He went on to make 11 appearances for the biancorossi before returning to Empoli for the 2004–05 season , following their relegation . In his first full season with the Tuscan side , Lodi made 27 league appearances , scoring six goals and helping them earn instant promotion back to Serie A . Lodi remained with Empoli , his first full season in 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 2006–07 season , Empoli loaned Lodi to Serie B side Frosinone for €50,000 . Lodi instantly earned a starting role with the club , making 40 appearances out of a possible 42 , scoring 11 goals . Despite his form , Empoli opted to keep the player at the Latium-based club in co-ownership deal for €1.4 million , where Lodi would continue his form . He went on to make 41 appearances for the second division side and scored a very impressive 20 goals as a midfielder . In January 2008 , Empoli also bought back the 50% registration rights from Frosinone for €800,000 . Return to Empoli . Following Empolis relegation from Serie A , the loan was not re-newed and the player spent the 2008–09 season with Empoli . He again performed with high standards , making 41 appearances and scoring 13 goals in league play . His form over the span of three seasons led to interest from a host of Serie A clubs , including Udinese , Atalanta and Chievo . At the start of the 2009–10 season , Lodi scored three goals in the first three games of Empolis season , later joining Udinese on loan for the remainder of the 2009–10 season . Udinese . On 28 August 2009 , Lodi officially joined Udinese on loan from Empoli . During the season , Lodi found first team football hard to come by due to the presences of established midfielders Alexis Sánchez , Mauricio Isla , Gökhan Inler and Kwadwo Asamoah . Lodi went on to make 19 league appearances , scoring one goal . Udinese did not use the option to purchase the player outright , and he returned to Empoli on 30 June 2010 . Return to Frosinone . Following his Serie A top flight experience with Udinese , Lodi returned to Empoli but was instantly sold to Frosinone again on a co-ownership deal , for €300,000 . In his return to Frosinone , Lodi returned immediately to first-team football , making 23 appearances ( out of a possible 23 ) and scoring seven goals prior to the January transfer market , in which he again transferred clubs . Catania . On 31 January 2011 , Catania bought Lodi from Frosinone for €680,000 , with Empoli retained 50% registration rights . Lodi also immediately joined Catania for the remainder of the 2010–11 season , in a two-and-a-half-year contract . His first two appearances for the Sicilian side were very low key , but on 13 February 2011 , Lodi scored two fantastic free-kicks in a comeback 3–2 victory for Catania over Lecce . Lodi was also the scorer of a stunning free-kick against Juventus in the 96th minute of play , ending the game in a draw for Catania . In June 2011 , Catania purchased Lodi outright for another €300,000 . ( the discount expressed as proventi da compartecipazioni in Catanias account ) He has since made 83 league appearances for the club , scoring 18 goals . He also scored three goals in four appearances in the 2012–13 Coppa Italia . Genoa . On 3 July 2013 , Catania sent Lodi to Genoa in exchange Panagiotis Tachtsidis in a cashless player swap . Both clubs retained 50% registration rights ( co-ownership deal ) . The deal finalized in mid-July . Return to Catania . Lodi returned to Catania just six months after leaving the club , scoring a goal and providing an assist for Gonzalo Bergessio in his first match back , helping his club to defeat Bologna 2–0 at the Stadio Angelo Massimino . In June 2014 , the co-ownership deal also terminated . Parma . Lodi was then loaned to Parma on 25 August 2014 . Return to Udinese . On 23 September 2015 , Lodi rejoined former club Udinese as a free agent . He left the club on 17 February 2017 . Second return to Catania . After his contract at Udinese got terminated , the director of Catania confirmed on 2 March 2017 , that Lodi was the first signing for the 2017–18 season . Triestina . On 8 January 2020 he signed a 1.5-year contract with Serie C club Triestina . FC Messina . On 22 January 2021 , Lodi left Triestina to sign a one-and-a-half year contract with Serie D club FC Messina . International career . Lodi was a player of the Italian under-19 team . He took part in 2001 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship , the last named as under-16 event . Due to UEFA U-21 Championship had changed from an even year event to odd year event , new coach Pierluigi Casiraghi called him up as senior member of the squad for 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship , eligible to players born 1984 or after . He made his Italy under-21 debut against Croatia in a friendly match on 15 August 2006 at the age of 22 . Lodi did not receive a call-up for 2004–06 season of U21 play due to the competitiveness of the squad , which was eligible to players born 1983 or after . Honours . International . - Italy U-19 - UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship : 2003 External links . - Official Player Profile at calciocatania.it - Profile at Football.it