Davide Lanzafame, former Juventus academy product and forward for clubs including Bari and Parma, has opened up about his journey through football, from his early days in Turin to the challenges he faced after his match-fixing suspension. Now coach of Autovip San Mauro, a Piedmontese side in the Promozione league where his nephew Luca also plays, Lanzafame reflected on his career in a candid interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I started playing football when I was five at Barcanova thanks to my father, who was a club official,” he recalled. “I had a trial with Torino and it went well, but they never signed me. Then Juventus came calling, and I didn’t think twice. Those thirteen years were unforgettable – I grew both as a man and a player alongside incredible talents.”
Lanzafame credited much of his development to Guido Mattei, his mentor from the Under-13s. “He was a real football master who shaped me technically. In 2007, I finished top scorer at the Viareggio Tournament with seven goals, most coming off the bench. We went out in the last 16 against Piacenza, who had Nainggolan, but at that moment I felt on top of the world. If not for what happened later, who knows how far I could have gone.”
Conte’s Influence
During his spell at Bari, Lanzafame found in Antonio Conte a demanding yet transformative coach. “I played in almost every attacking role – striker, second forward, playmaker, winger, even mezzala – all thanks to Conte. He was a hammer, relentless. In our first Serie B season at Bari, I scored ten goals and registered three assists in his 4-2-4 system. At first he pulled me up constantly, but once he saw my potential, he gave me continuity. He had to nurture me a bit, but he was the coach who changed my career.”
The Shadow of the Betting Scandal
Lanzafame also addressed his suspension for his involvement in the Bari match-fixing scandal, which he described as a defining, if painful, moment. “The accusation concerned two matches – Bari-Treviso 0-1 and Salernitana-Bari 3-2 – both defeats. I always owned up to my part and took responsibility. I paid for what I did, serving a 13-month ban.”
He continued: “When I arrived at Bari, I was just 20. In some dressing rooms, if senior players tell you how a match should be played, it’s difficult to say no. I won’t name names, but the environment was tough. Still, I don’t look for excuses – I accepted my responsibilities and paid the price. It was a huge blow. Many would have quit, but I kept going thanks to my resilience.”
At the time, Lanzafame had been impressing at Catania and within the Italy Under-21 squad, with the senior national team seemingly within reach. “Then suddenly, I was left without a contract. I trained alone with a mental coach and fitness trainer, entering a phase of deep introspection. At 25, I started again when it all seemed over, finding redemption at Honvéd in Hungary with Marco Rossi.”
Memories with Balotelli and Giovinco
Lanzafame ended on a lighter note, recalling a mischievous moment from his Under-21 days alongside Sebastian Giovinco and Mario Balotelli. “One night during a training camp in Tel Aviv, we slipped out of the hotel for a chat and some laughs. Casiraghi and Zola noticed we weren’t in our rooms and scolded us. They warned that if we didn’t win the next day against Israel, they’d tell the press. We won 3–1 – Balotelli scored twice and I got an assist. Luckily, that saved us from trouble!”
