U.S. Città di Pontedera

Unione Sportiva Città di Pontedera (formerly Unione Sportiva Pontedera 1912) is an Italian association football club located in Pontedera, Tuscany. Currently it plays in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football.

Not to be confused with Pontevedra CF.

Pontedera
Full nameUnione Sportiva Città di Pontedera
Nickname(s)Granata
Founded1912
GroundStadio Ettore Mannucci,
Pontedera, Italy
Capacity5,014
ChairmanGianfranco Donnini
ManagerIvan Maraia
LeagueSerie C Group A
2018–19Serie C Group A, 11th of 20
WebsiteClub website

History

Founded in 1912, Pontedera, a team from a city in the Pisa neighbourhood, played Serie C for several years without never gaining a single promotion to Serie B. In 1993/1994, a second place in Serie C2/B allowed Pontedera to be promoted to Serie C1: during that season, the team was known for having longily been the only undefeated team in all Italian professional leagues, and for having incredibly won 2–1 to the Italy national football team coached by Arrigo Sacchi in a friendly match played in April 1994. Pontedera played Serie C1 just in 1994/1995, and relegated to Serie D in 2001, and even Eccellenza in 2002. Pontedera returned to Serie D in 2005, after having won its Eccellenza round.

In summer 2006, The Gunther Corporation purchased Pontedera. It was reported in The Guardian newspaper on 17 May 2007 that the owner of Pontedera is a dog named Gunther IV, who inherited it from Gunther III who in turn inherited it from his owner Countess Libenstein.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of Italy national team and World Cup champion in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, started his professional managing career as Pontedera head coach in 1985–1986.

Serie D 2010–11

At the end of the 2010-11 Serie D season, Pontedera gained access to the Serie D play-off for promotion in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, but they were eliminated in the third round.

Back into professionalism

In the 2012-13 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, Pontedera finished second in Girone B, and was promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione. This was the second consecutive promotion for the team. The 2013–14 season saw Pontedera topping the Lega Pro Prima Divisione table for the earlier weeks of the season, and then completing the regular season in eighth place and thus ensuring a Serie B promotion playoff spot, then losing to Lecce on penalties in the first round.

Colors and badge

Its colours are all-dark red.

Current squad

As of 30 January 2020[1][2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Edoardo Sarri
2 DF Edoardo Pavan (on loan from Verona)
3 DF Paolo Ropolo
4 MF Jacopo Giuliani (on loan from Spezia)
5 DF Giacomo Risaliti
6 MF Francesco Benassai
7 MF Francesco Mezzoni (on loan from Napoli)
8 MF Andrea Caponi
9 FW Caio De Cenco
10 MF Gianluca Barba (on loan from Monza)
11 FW Christian Tommasini
No. Position Player
13 DF Matteo Salvi (on loan from Atalanta)
14 MF Mariano Bernardini
15 DF Emanuele Cigagna (on loan from Venezia)
16 MF Lorenzo Bardini
17 MF Filippo Serena (on loan from Venezia)
18 DF Luca Piana
20 MF Michele Bruzzo
21 DF Mauro Semprini
22 GK Daniele Cardelli
23 DF Pietro Visconti
24 DF Federico Balloni

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
DF Giorgio Cavalli (at Sangiovannese)
DF Federico Marseglia (at Tuttocuoio)
MF Gianmarco Manetti (at Tuttocuoio)
No. Position Player
FW Riccardo Benedetti (at Tau)
FW Diego De Carlo (at Tuttocuoio)

Notable former managers

References
  1. http://www.uspontedera.it/atleti/%5B%5D
  2. "PONTEDERA, I NUMERI DELLE MAGLIE" (in Italian). U.S. Città di Pontedera. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.


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