 Saponara in 2013 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1991-12-21)21 December 1991 (age 33) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Forlì, Italy | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | Sammartinese | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Forlì | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Ravenna | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Empoli | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Ravenna | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2013 | Empoli | 83 | (12) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Milan | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | Empoli | 68 | (14) | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | →Fiorentina (loan) | 29 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Fiorentina | 60 | (7) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | →Sampdoria (loan) | 22 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | →Genoa (loan) | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | →Lecce (loan) | 13 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | →Spezia (loan) | 9 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Hellas Verona | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Ankaragücü | 21 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Italy U18 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Italy U19 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Italy U21 | 22 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 February 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
Riccardo Saponara (Italian pronunciation:[rikˈkardosapoˈnaːra]; born 21 December 1991) is an Italian professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder.
Born inForlì to parents fromPalazzo San Gervasio,Basilicata,Southern Italy,[1] Saponara started his professional career atRavenna. In January 2009, he was signed byEmpoli in aco-ownership deal for €700,000.[2] In June 2010, Saponara was signed by Empoli outright for another €550,000.[3]
Originally played as a winger,Empoli managerMaurizio Sarri switched him into a central position behind the strikers in the2012–13Serie B season to devastating effect[according to whom?] as he grabbed 13 goals and 15 assists in 40 appearances for the club. He led Empoli to the Serie B promotion play-off finals where they lost toLivorno.
In January 2013,Milan signed the 21-year-old Saponara fromEmpoli[4] on the condition that he remained at Empoli until the end of the season. Milan paid €3.75 million for his co-ownership on a4+1⁄2-year contract,[5][6] which Parma signed Empoli's half for €2.6 million in summer 2013.[7][8] He played just 218 minutes ofSerie A football spread across seven league games, failing to contribute any goals or assists in the2013–14 season. In June 2014, Milan acquired Parma's half for just €1 million.[8]
On 16 January 2015, Saponara returned to Empoli with the formula of the loan with the right of redemption.[9] He made his comeback for the club four days later inRoma - Empoli 2–1 inCoppa Italia. He made comeback in the league ten days later in Empoli's 1–2 defeat to Udinese, opening the scoring with a penalty kick; his first goal in Serie A and his second during his experience in Tuscany. On 22 March 2015, he scored his first brace in a 3–1 home win overSassuolo. On 13 May, his contract was redeemed by Empoli for a reported €4 million.[10]
On 28 January 2017, Saponara was loaned toFiorentina until the end of the season with an obligation to buy him out at the end of the loan deal.[11]
On 17 August 2018, Saponara joinedSampdoria on a one-year loan from Fiorentina. The deal included an option to purchase.[12]
After Saponara scored a game tying goal againstLazio on 18 December 2018, he gained notoriety when he was celebrating with his teams' fans, his shorts fell down and the supporters also pulled down hisbriefs, which exposed his rear.[13]
On 7 August 2019, Saponara joinedGenoa on loan with an option to buy.[14]
On 22 January 2020, Saponara joinedLecce on loan from Genoa.
On 5 January 2021, Saponara joinedSpezia on loan from Fiorentina.
In January 2024, Saponara joined TurkishSüper Lig clubAnkaragücü on an eighteen-month contract.[15] His contract was terminated on 26 February 2025.[16]
Saponara made his debut with theItaly under-21 national team on 8 February 2011, in a 1–0 win overEngland.[17] He scored his first goal for the under-21 side on 13 April, in a 2–0 win overRussia.[18] Saponara was chosen by former managerCiro Ferrara to take part in theToulon Tournament in May 2011, where he appeared in all of Italy's matches, helping the team to win a Bronze medal.[19] He was also elected to take part at the2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with Italy, under managerDevis Mangia,[20] and he scored a goal in Italy's second group match against hostsIsrael, in a 4–0 win, which qualified the Italians for the semi-final.[21] Saponara made three appearances throughout the tournament, helping Italy to reach thefinal, where they were defeated 4–2 bySpain.[22] Overall, between 2011 and 2013, he has collected 22 appearances, scoring three goals for the "azzurrini".
A talentedattacking midfielder, Saponara is a creativeplaymaker, who is also capable of playing on thewing (preferably on the right flank), or as acentral midfielder in themezzala role.[23][24] A strong, fast, and hardworking player, with good technical ability, he is known for hisdribbling skills and balance on the ball, as well as his determination, defensive contribution, eye for the final pass, and ability to time his attacking runs, which allow to both score and create goals. His style of play and precocious performances as a youngster during his time in Serie B drew occasional comparisons to his idolKaká.[25][26][27]
At the conclusion of the2020–21 Serie A season, Saponara held the record for the fastest sprint in the league clocked at 36.04 km/h.[28]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ravenna | 2008–09 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione | 3 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Empoli | 2010–11 | Serie B | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Serie B | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Serie B | 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4[c] | 2 | 40 | 13 | |
| Total | 83 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 92 | 14 | ||
| Milan | 2013–14 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Empoli | 2014–15 | Serie A | 17 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 7 | |
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 5 | ||
| 2016–17 | Serie A | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 2 | ||
| Total | 68 | 14 | 3 | 0 | — | 71 | 14 | |||
| Fiorentina (loan) | 2016–17 | Serie A | 11 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2020–21 | Serie A | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 29 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | ||
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10[d] | 2 | 39 | 6 | |
| Total | 89 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 107 | 11 | ||
| Sampdoria (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie A | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 24 | 2 | |
| Genoa (loan) | 2019–20 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | |
| Lecce (loan) | 2019–20 | Serie A | 13 | 2 | — | — | 13 | 2 | ||
| Spezia (loan) | 2020–21 | Serie A | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 10 | 4 | |
| Hellas Verona | 2023–24 | Serie A | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| Career total | 311 | 41 | 24 | 3 | 16 | 4 | 351 | 48 | ||
Fiorentina
Italy U21
