{{Short description|Italian footballer (born 2000)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Matteo Lovato | image = MatteoLovato.jpeg | caption = Lovato playing for Atalanta in 2021 | full_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2000|02|14}} | birth_place = Monselice, Italy<ref name="worldfootball">{{Worldfootball.net|matteo-lovato|new_id=pe494228}}</ref> | height = 1.88 m<ref>{{cite web |title=Matteo Lovato #66 |url=https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/team/prima-squadra/181/matteo-lovato |website=Cagliari Calcio |access-date=30 March 2022 |language=it |archive-date=19 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419150452/https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/team/prima-squadra/181/matteo-lovato |url-status=dead }}</ref> | position = Centre-back | currentclub = Empoli<br>(on loan from Salernitana) | clubnumber = 20 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016 | youthclubs1 = Padova | youthyears2 = 2016–2019 | youthclubs2 = Genoa | youthyears3 = 2018–2019 | youthclubs3 = → Padova (loan) | years1 = 2019–2020 | clubs1 = Padova | caps1 = 17 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2020–2021 | clubs2 = Hellas Verona | caps2 = 25 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2021–2022 | clubs3 = Atalanta | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2022 | clubs4 = → Cagliari (loan) | caps4 = 16 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2022– | clubs5 = Salernitana | caps5 = 30 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2024 | clubs6 = → Torino (loan) | caps6 = 13 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2024–2025 | clubs7 = → Sassuolo (loan) | caps7 = 20 | goals7 = 1 | years8 = 2025– | clubs8 = → Empoli (loan) | caps8 = 33 | goals8 = 3 | nationalyears1 = 2020–2023 | nationalteam1 = Italy U21 | nationalcaps1 = 15 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | club-update = 13 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 28 June 2023 }}
'''Matteo Lovato''' (born 14 February 2000) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for {{Italian football updater|Empoli}} club Empoli on loan from Salernitana.
==Club career== ===Early years=== Lovato spent his early years in the youth teams of Padova before moving to Genoa's under-17 team at age 16, where he made 18 appearances and scored two goals.<ref name=SP/> Lovato did not join Genoa's Primavera team, though; he returned to Padova on loan in January 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.padovacalcio.it/mercato-padova-settoregiovanile/ |title=Tutti i movimenti del mercato invernale del settore giovanile del Calcio Padova |date=1 February 2018 |accessdate=26 October 2020 |language=it}}</ref>
On 25 August 2019, Lovato made his Serie C debut with Padova under coach Salvatore Sullo, as a starter in a 3–1 away victory against Virtus Verona. He would remain with the club for the first half of the 2019–20 season, accumulating 18 appearances in all competitions.<ref name=SP>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportpaper.it/da-kumbulla-a-matteo-lovato-il-nuovo-nuovo-difensore-del-verona/160703 |title=Da Kumbulla a... Matteo Lovato, il nuovo difensore del Verona |last=Manzoni |first=Samuele |publisher=SportPaper |date=16 December 2020 |language=it |accessdate=5 August 2021}}</ref>
===Hellas Verona=== On 31 January 2020, Hellas Verona announced the acquisition of Lovato for a reported fee of €500,000.<ref name=SP/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.padovacalcio.it/matteo-lovato-hellas-verona/ |title=Matteo Lovato ceduto a titolo definitivo all'Hellas Verona |date=31 January 2020 |website=padovacalcio.it |accessdate=26 October 2020 |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://hellasverona.it/2020/01/31/ufficiale_matteo_lovato_e_gialloblu_sino_al_2024 |title=Ufficiale: dal Padova arriva Lovato |date=31 January 2020 |website=hellasverona.it |accessdate=26 October 2020 |language=it |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201172232/https://hellasverona.it/2020/01/31/ufficiale_matteo_lovato_e_gialloblu_sino_al_2024 |archivedate=1 February 2020}}</ref> He made his Serie A debut with the club on 18 July 2020 under coach Ivan Jurić as a late substitute for Koray Günter in a 1–1 home draw against Atalanta.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sport.sky.it/calcio/serie-a/2020/07/18/verona-atalanta-risultato-gol |title=Verona-Atalanta 1-1, gol e highlights. Pessina risponde a Zapata |date=19 July 2020 |publisher=Sky Sport |language=it |accessdate=26 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mondoprimavera.com/news/8889208326/verona-primo-gettone-in-serie-a-anche-per-lovato |title=Verona, primo gettone in Serie A anche per Lovato |website=mondoprimavera.com |date=19 July 2020 |language=it |accessdate=26 October 2020}}</ref>
The next season, Lovato broke into the starting lineup following the sale of Marash Kumbulla.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/calcio/fantanews/15-09-2020/fanta-guida-verona-2020-21-punta-faraoni-lazovic-veloso-ripetere-miracolo-3801994886699.shtml |title=Fanta guida: il Verona 2020–21 punta su Faraoni, Lazovic e Veloso per ripetere il miracolo |date=15 September 2020 |work=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |accessdate=26 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.larena.it/argomenti/sport/hellas-verona/juric-tesoro-da-cento-milioni-e-caccia-ai-nuovi-kumbulla-1.8284911 |title=Juric, tesoro da cento milioni: È caccia ai nuovi... Kumbulla |last=Antolini |first=Simone |date=11 October 2020 |publisher=L'Arena |language=it |accessdate=26 October 2020}}</ref> He made a total of 24 appearances for Verona, helping the club to a 10th-place finish.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://football-italia.net/lovato-set-for-atalanta-move/ |title=Lovato to Atalanta 'a done deal', will he replace Romero? |last=Bettoni |first=Lorenzo |date=30 July 2021 |publisher=Football Italia |accessdate=5 August 2021}}</ref> <!--though lost his place in the starting lineup later in the season amid injuries and competition.{{cn}}-->
===Atalanta=== On 31 July 2021, Lovato signed for Atalanta on a four-year contract, for a reported fee of €8 million plus €3 million in bonuses.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mork |first1=Martin |title=Official: Lovato moves to Atalanta |url=https://football-italia.net/official-lovato-moves-to-atalanta/ |publisher=Football Italia |access-date=31 July 2021 |date=31 July 2021}}</ref>
====Loan to Cagliari==== On 3 January 2022, Lovato joined Cagliari on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Cagliari|url=https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/news/ultimissime/21493/lovato-al-cagliari-il-difensore-arriva-in-prestito|title=Lovato al Cagliari|date=3 January 2022|access-date=4 January 2022|language=it|archive-date=3 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103134433/https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/news/ultimissime/21493/lovato-al-cagliari-il-difensore-arriva-in-prestito|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Salernitana=== Lovato joined Salernitana on 6 July 2022 on a five-year contract,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ussalernitana1919.it/matteo-lovato-e-un-nuovo-giocatore-della-salernitana/ |title=Matteo Lovato è un nuovo giocatore della Salernitana |publisher=US Salernitana 1919 |language=it |date=6 July 2022 |access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref> as part of a deal in which Éderson moved the other way.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/calcio-mercato/salernitana/2022/07/05-94417817/salernitana_ederson_saluta_lovato_e_botheim_alle_visite |title=Salernitana, Ederson saluta. Lovato e Botheim alle visite |work=Corriere dello Sport |date=5 July 2022 |language=it |access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref>
====Loan to Torino==== On 31 January 2024, Lovato moved on loan to Torino, with an option to buy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Torino|url=https://www.torinofc.it/news/31/01/2024/lovato-al-toro_24131|title=LOVATO AL TORO|trans-title=LOVATO AT TORO|date=31 January 2024|access-date=1 February 2024|language=it}}</ref>
====Loan to Sassuolo==== On 7 August 2024, Lovato joined Sassuolo on loan, with an option to buy and a conditional obligation to buy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=US Sassuolo Calcio|url=https://www.sassuolocalcio.it/prima-squadra/matteo-lovato-benvenuto-in-neroverde/|title=Matteo Lovato: benvenuto in neroverde!|trans-title=Matteo Lovato: welcome to the black and green!|date=7 August 2024|access-date=16 August 2024|language=it}}</ref>
====Loan to Empoli==== On 18 August 2025, Lovato was loaned to Empoli, with a conditional obligation to buy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Empoli FC|url=https://www.empolifc.it/matteo-lovato-e-un-nuovo-calciatore-azzurro|title=Matteo Lovato è un nuovo calciatore azzurro|trans-title=Matteo Lovato is a new Empoli footballer|date=18 August 2025|access-date=18 August 2025|language=it}}</ref>
==International career== On 12 November 2020, Lovato made his debut with the Italy U21 playing as a starter in a qualifying match won 2–1 against Iceland in Reykjavík.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iceland U21 vs. Italy U21 - 12 November 2020 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2020/11/12/europe/uefa-u21-championship/iceland-under-21/italy-under-21/2978739/ |website=Soccerway |accessdate=12 November 2020}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|match played 20 February 2026}}<ref>{{Soccerway|609325|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Padova |2019–20 |Serie C |17||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Hellas Verona |2019–20 |Serie A |1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |2020–21 |Serie A |24||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !25!!0!!0!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!25!!0 |- |Atalanta |2021–22 |Serie A |6||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||7||0 |- |Cagliari (loan) |2021–22 |Serie A |16||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Salernitana |2022–23 |Serie A |17||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||0 |- |2023–24 |Serie A |13||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !30!!0!!2!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!32!!0 |- |Torino (loan) |2023–24 |Serie A |13||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||13||0 |- |Sassuolo (loan) |2024–25 |Serie B |20||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||21||1 |- |Empoli (loan) |2025–26 |Serie B |22||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||22||1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !149!!2!!4!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!154!!2 |}
==Honours== '''Sassuolo''' * Serie B: 2024–25<ref>{{cite web|title=Sassuolo Calcio wins the Serie B championship|url=https://www.mapei.com/ae/en/news-and-articles/event-detail/2025/05/16/sassuolo-calcio-wins-the-serie-b-championship|website=MAPEI|access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|609325}}
{{Empoli FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovato, Matteo}} Category:Living people Category:2000 births Category:Footballers from the Province of Padua Category:Italian men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Italy men's under-21 international footballers Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Serie C players Category:Calcio Padova players Category:Hellas Verona FC players Category:Atalanta BC players Category:Cagliari Calcio players Category:US Salernitana 1919 players Category:Torino FC players Category:US Sassuolo Calcio players Category:Empoli FC players Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen