Andrea Fortunato played for which team from 1992 to 1995?
Andrea Fortunato Andrea Fortunato ( ; 26 July 1971 – 25 April 1995 ) was an Italian football player who played as a left-back . Fortunato was one of Italys most promising prospects in the late 1980s and early 1990s , and he enjoyed a successful yet very short spell in Italian football , before contracting leukemia ; he died in April 1995 . Throughout his club career , he played for Como , Pisa , Genoa , and Juventus , while at international level he represented the Italian national team on one occasion , in 1993 . Early life . Andrea Fortunato was born into a middle-class family in Salerno ; his father , Giuseppe , was a cardiologist , while his mother , Lucia , was a librarian ; he also had a brother and a sister . As a youngster , Andrea also swam and played water polo , in addition to football . He began playing football with the Como youth side at the age of 13 , although his parents also insisted that he complete his high school diploma in accounting , in case his footballing career turned to be unsuccessful . Career . Como , Genoa , and Pisa . Fortunato started his professional career as a left-back with the Como first team in 1988 , at the age of 17 , making his Serie B debut with the club on 29 October 1989 , in a 1–0 home win against Cosenza . The young player from Salerno played 16 times with the Lariani in his first season , who were relegated to Serie C1 . He soon established himself into the teams starting line-up the following season , making 27 appearances in the league , as Como narrowly missed out on promotion to Serie B , losing out in the playoff to Venezia . Fortunatos consistent performances caught the eye of bigger Italian clubs – most notably Genoa . It was the Ligurian side who signed Fortunato in 1991 ; however , his limited opportunities with the club , due to the presence of the more experienced Branco in his role , led to an argument with Osvaldo Bagnolis assistant manager Sergio Maddè . As a result , Fortunato was labelled as an arrogant hothead , and was immediately loaned out to Serie B side Pisa for the 1991–92 season , where he made 25 appearances . After an impressive spell with Pisa , Fortunato returned to the Grifoni , where he made his Serie A debut on 6 September 1992 , in a 1–1 away draw against Fiorentina . He teamed up with right-back Christian Panucci , another promising Italian full-back , and together they formed a formidable defensive young partnership . In his first year in the Italian top flight , Fortunato made 33 appearances and scored 3 goals , including the equaliser in a 2–2 home draw against eventual champions Milan , which helped Genoa avoid relegation . Juventus and International debut . Fortunatos performances with Genoa during the 1992–93 season caught the attention of Juventus boss Giovanni Trapattoni , who brought the promising youngster to the Turin club the following season for 12 billion Lire . The left-back was an instant hit , and was awarded the number 3 shirt , which had belonged to former Juventus full-back Antonio Cabrini during the 1980s . Fortunato started his first season with Juventus strongly , and soon became known for his endless running along the flank and his fine left foot , which he would use to provide accurate crosses for the likes of forwards Roberto Baggio , Fabrizio Ravanelli , and Gianluca Vialli . His most important attribute was that he loved being a team player , both on and off the pitch . His charm and great personality won the hearts of many , so much so that former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi described him as a revelation of Italian football , and called the Juventus star to make his one and only international appearance in a World Cup qualifier against Estonia , on 22 September 1993 , in Tallinn . Fortunato took Paolo Maldinis place and played alongside veteran and national team captain Franco Baresi in a game that Italy won 3–0 . The left-back showed striking similarities to Maldini and he was initially even in Sacchis plans for the 1994 FIFA World Cup . Illness and death . However , during the second half of the 1993–94 season , the player suffered an unexplained loss of form , and struggled to complete matches due to a lack of energy ; he was subsequently dropped from the national team after doctors announced that he had a rare form of leukemia in May 1994 . Fortunato initially struggled to find a suitable bone marrow donor , and underwent chemotherapy in a hospital in Turin and an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant from his sister , Paola ; he was later transferred to a hospital in Perugia , and after a second bone marrow transplant from his father , appeared to have made a full recovery . The following season , he was included in the Turin clubs roster , and was even called up to join the team by new coach Marcello Lippi for Juventuss clash with Sampdoria in Genoa on 26 February 1995 , although he later watched his teammates from the stands . Although his condition initially seemed to be improving well , Fortunato came down with a flu and later caught pneumonia , from which he was unable to recover ; he died in a hospital in Perugia on 25 April 1995 ; the eve of Italys game against Lithuania in Vilnius ; the Italian national team observed a minute of silence in his honour prior to the match , and also dedicated the 1–0 victory to him . His funeral took place on 27 April , in his hometown of Salerno . That season , Lippis Juventus went on to win their 23rd League title , dedicated to Fortunato , known as Fortunatos Scudetto . Juventus also won the Coppa Italia , and the Supercoppa Italiana that year , and reached the UEFA Cup Final . In total , Fortunato made 27 league appearances for Juventus , all of which came during the 1993–94 season , scoring one goal for the club , which came in a 3–1 away defeat to Lazio on 12 December 1993 , in Serie A . Style of play . A strong , hard-working , dynamic , energetic , and gregarious team player , Fortunato was known for his pace , class , stamina , determination , and tactical intelligence as a footballer , which enabled him to cover the left flank well and win back possession effectively . He also had a good left foot and was known for his crossing accuracy from the touchline , and ability to beat opponents , make attacking runs down the wing , and deliver balls to teammates in the area . Although he played at left-back throughout his professional career , or as an attacking wing-back , he was a highly versatile player , who started out playing as a centre-forward and as a left midfielder in his youth , and was also capable of playing as a central or defensive midfielder , as a centre-back , or as a sweeper . A precocious player , he was regarded as one of the most promising young left-backs of his generation in Italy ; his playing style was frequently compared with that of legendary former Juventus full-back Antonio Cabrini . In addition to his talent and footballing skills , Fortunato was also known for his calm composure , friendly personality , and strong mentality , both on the pitch and in the dressing room , in spite of his reserved , and introverted character . Honours . Club . - Juventus - Serie A : 1994–95 ( Posthumous ) - Coppa Italia : 1994–95 ( Posthumous ) External links . - Profile at MyJuve.it - Profile at FIGC