_(cropped).png) Brocchi as head coach ofMonza in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cristian Brocchi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1976-01-30)30 January 1976 (age 49) | ||
| Place of birth | Milan, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Zeta | ||
| Youth career | |||
| AC Milan | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1998 | AC Milan | 0 | (0) |
| 1995–1997 | →Pro Sesto (loan) | 57 | (3) |
| 1997–1998 | →Lumezzane (loan) | 30 | (4) |
| 1998–2000 | Verona | 59 | (8) |
| 2000–2001 | Inter Milan | 15 | (1) |
| 2001–2008 | AC Milan | 99 | (4) |
| 2005–2006 | →Fiorentina (loan) | 35 | (3) |
| 2008–2013 | Lazio | 111 | (2) |
| Total | 406 | (24) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006 | Italy | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2016 | AC Milan Primavera | ||
| 2016 | AC Milan | ||
| 2016–2017 | Brescia | ||
| 2017–2018 | Jiangsu Suning (assistant) | ||
| 2018–2021 | Monza | ||
| 2021–2022 | Vicenza | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Cristian Brocchi (Italian pronunciation:[ˈkristjamˈbrɔkki]; born 30 January 1976) is an Italian professionalfootball manager and former player, actual head coach ofKings League teamFC Zeta.
As adefensive midfielder, Brocchi was rated for his durability and tackling.[2] He began his career with hometown clubAC Milan, but he struggled to break into the first team as a youngster. He was subsequently loaned toPro Sesto andLumezzane before being sold toHellas Verona in 1998. His performances for the club earned him a move toInter Milan in 2000, where he also struggled due to injury. He returned to Milan in 2001, and went on to represent the club for the next seven seasons, aside from a season on loan withFiorentina, during a highly successful period for the club, which saw him win theSerie A and twoUEFA Champions League titles, among other trophies. He ended his career in 2013, after five seasons withLazio, with whom they won theCoppa Italia twice. At international level, he made his only appearance for theItaly national team in 2006.
Brocchi began his senior managerial career at Milan in April 2016, after being theiryouth team's head coach since 2014. After only one month, he was sacked and was then appointed head coach ofBrescia in theSerie B. Following a season as assistant coach of Chinese clubJiangsu Suning, in 2018, Brocchi became head coach ofSerie C sideMonza, helping them gain promotion to the Serie C for the first time in 19 years. He was dismissed in 2021 after failing promotion to the Serie A.
Starting his career atAC Milan'syouth system, Brocchi was loaned toPro Sesto andLumezzane in the early years. After struggling to find space in the first team, Brocchi was sold toSerie B sideHellas Verona in 1998. He helped the club obtain promotion toSerie A.
After a year in the top division,Inter Milan coachMarcello Lippi signed Brocchi in 2000. However, Brocchi and Inter endured a difficult season, as Lippi was sacked after their openingSerie A match, a defeat toReggina.Marco Tardelli was hired as Lippi's replacement, and he guided theNerazzurri to a fifth-place finish in Serie A. The following season, new Inter managerHéctor Cúper decided to sell Brocchi. Brocchi later described his time at Inter "as the worst experience [he] ever had",[3] citing the lack of support from the club while injured.
In July 2001, Milan re-signed him in exchange forAndrés Guglielminpietro, who joined Inter.[4] While at Milan, Brocchi had to compete with the likes ofFernando Redondo,Gennaro Gattuso,Andrea Pirlo,Massimo Ambrosini, and laterClarence Seedorf.[5]
Brocchi was loaned toFiorentina in July 2005, with a view to a permanent deal at the end ofthe season.[6] However, at the end of 2005–06, he returned to Milan, partly as a result of the problems Milan faced in finding new recruits due to the2006 Italian football scandal.
Brocchi made a career high 29 Serie A appearances in the2006–07 season. AlthoughEmerson arrived in the2007–08, Brocchi continued to appear regularly making 24 appearances, 10 as starter, effectively becoming managerCarlo Ancelotti's first choice replacement in midfield.
Milan andLazio reached an agreement for a permanent transfer for Brocchi on 29 August 2008. He signed a three-year deal with Lazio and just cost Lazio a nominal transfer fee.[7][8] His first season was successful as he won theCoppa Italia, Lazio's fifth Coppa Italia title.
Following the2012–13 season, Brocchi and Lazio announced his retirement due to ongoing injury problems.[9]
Brocchi made his international debut and only appearance for theItaly national team underRoberto Donadoni,[10] in a 1–1 friendly home draw againstTurkey, on 15 November 2006.[11]
On 12 April 2016, Brocchi was appointed the head coach of Milan for his first senior managerial position, after previously serving as the coach of theAC Milan youth team, replacingSiniša Mihajlović after his sacking.[12][13] On 28 June 2016, Brocchi was replaced byVincenzo Montella.[14]
Brocchi served as head coach of Serie B clubBrescia during the2016–17 season, being removed from his managerial duties on 12 March 2017 due to poor results.[15] He worked asFabio Capello's assistant atJiangsu Suning during the2017 Chinese Super League.
In October 2018, Brocchi was named the new head coach ofSerie C clubMonza, under the ownership of the former Milan duo ofSilvio Berlusconi andAdriano Galliani. After failing promotion to the play-offs in his first season in charge, he successfully guided Monza to win the2019–20 Serie C title. He was, therefore, confirmed for a third season at the helm of the club, with the explicit goal to bring theBrianzoli to Serie A for the first time in their history.
In the2020–21 Serie B season, Monza narrowly missed out on automatic promotion, finishing third, and was subsequently eliminated by sixth-placedCittadella in the play-off semifinals. Following these results, Brocchi left Monza by mutual consent on 28 May 2021.[16]
On 22 September, Brocchi was named as the new coach ofVicenza.[17] Taking over with Vicenza in deep relegation trouble, he however failed to turn around the club's fortunes, and was dismissed on 11 April 2022.[18]
On November 2024, Brocchi was appointed as head coach forKings League teamFC Zeta Milano.[19]
Outside of football, Brocchi opened a cafe in Milan along with former Milan teammateChristian Abbiati and started his clothing brand (Baci & Abbracci) with close friend and footballerChristian Vieri and modelAlena Šeredová.[20][21]
| Club | Season | League | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Inter Milan | 2000–01 | Serie A | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| AC Milan | 2001–02 | Serie A | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 2002–03 | Serie A | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2003–04 | Serie A | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Serie A | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 3 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2005–06 | Serie A | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 |
| AC Milan | 2006–07 | Serie A | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Serie A | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| Total | 53 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 69 | 3 | ||
| Lazio | 2008–09 | Serie A | 31 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Serie A | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| 2010–11 | Serie A | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Serie A | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 111 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 129 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 260 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 314 | 13 | ||
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| AC Milan |  | 12 April 2016 | 28 June 2016 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 028.57 |
| Brescia | | 10 July 2016 | 12 March 2017 | 31 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 32 | 45 | −13 | 022.58 |
| Monza | | 22 October 2018 | 28 May 2021 | 116 | 60 | 33 | 23 | 177 | 104 | +73 | 051.72 |
| Vicenza | | 22 September 2021 | 11 April 2022 | 32 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 33 | 48 | −15 | 025.00 |
| Total | 186 | 77 | 52 | 57 | 249 | 206 | +43 | 041.40 | |||
Milan[22]
Lazio[22]
Monza
