Giovanni Bertini

{{Infobox football biography

| name= Giovanni Bertini

| fullname =

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1951|1|7|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Rome, Italy

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|12|3|1951|1|7|df=yes}}

| death_place = Rome, Italy

| height = 1.81 m

| currentclub =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1969–1974

| years2 = 1971–1972

| years3 = 1974

| years4 = 1974–1975

| years5 = 1975–1976

| years6 = 1976–1980

| years7 = 1980–1982

| clubs1 = Roma

| clubs2 = → Arezzo (loan)

| clubs3 = Taranto

| clubs4 = Ascoli

| clubs5 = Fiorentina

| clubs6 = Catania

| clubs7 = Benevento

| caps1 = 29

| caps2 = 7

| caps3 = 3

| caps4 = 15

| caps5 = 10

| caps6 = 84

| caps7 = 41

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| goals6 = 7

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1970

| nationalteam1 = Italy U-21

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 =

}}

Giovanni "Giovannone" Bertini (7 January 1951 – 3 December 2019){{cite news|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/03-12-2019/altra-vittima-sla-morto-giovanni-bertini-3501583497293.shtml|title=Un'altra vittima della Sla: è morto Giovanni Bertini|trans-title=Another victim of ALS: Giovanni Bertini has died|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=Italian|date=3 December 2019|accessdate=3 December 2019 }} was an Italian professional footballer who played as a defender.

Career

Bertini was born in Rome, and began playing youth football with Ostiense before signing with A.S. Roma at the age of 18. He made his professional debut in Serie A in a 2–2 draw against Fiorentina on 14 December 1969, and went on to collect six appearances in his first season, and three in his second season. He remained with the club until 1974, aside from a brief loan spell with Serie B side Arezzo in 1971, with whom he collected seven league appearances. After returning to Roma the following season, he made 20 more appearances for the club, before being sold to Taranto in 1974. Later that same year, he joined Ascoli Calcio 1898 under manager Carlo Mazzone, while he left for Fiorentina the following season, collecting 10 appearances in his only season with the club.{{cite news|url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/roma/2018/03/15-40034143/roma_lex_calciatore_giovanni_bertini_affetto_da_sla_la_lettera_della_figlia/?cookieAccept|title=Roma, l'ex calciatore Giovanni Bertini affetto da Sla. La lettera della figlia|trans-title=Former Roma footballer, Giovanni Bertini affected by ALS. His daughter's letter|work=Corriere dello Sport – Stadio|language=Italian|date=15 March 2018|accessdate=31 August 2018}} In total, he played for six seasons (54 games, no goals) in the Italian Serie A, for Roma, Ascoli, and Fiorentina, also collecting 29 appearances in Serie B. He later also made 84 appearances for Catania, 65 of which came in Serie C, scoring seven goals, and obtained 41 appearances for Benevento over two seasons, before retiring in 1982.

Style of play

Bertini was a strong and physically imposing defender, who was also known for his exuberant character, leadership, tenacity, and personality. He usually played as a man-marking centre-back, known as a "stopper" in Italian. He was also known for his goalscoring ability as a defender, courtesy of his heading accuracy – which made him an aerial threat – as well as his powerful shot with either foot, including from free kicks.{{cite news |url=https://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/serie-a/2019/12/03/news/calcio_altro_morto_per_sla_e_deceduto_bertini_ex_di_roma_e_fiorentina-242497263/ |title=Calcio, è morto di Sla Giovanni Bertini; anche lui aveva giocato nella Fiorentina |trans-title=Football, Giovanni Bertini has died from ALS; he had also played for Fiorentina |work=La Repubblica |language=Italian |date=3 December 2019 |accessdate=4 December 2019 }}{{cite news |url=http://www.mondocatania.com/wp/calcio-catania-notizie/giovanni-bertini-stopper-goleador-ricordi-rossazzurri-da-un-ospedale-129144 |title=Giovanni Bertini, stopper goleador: ricordi rossazzurri da un ospedale |trans-title=Giovanni Bertini, goalscoring stopper: rossoazzurri memories from a hospital |work=Mondo Catania |language=Italian |date=27 October 2016 |accessdate=21 January 2020 }}

Later life, illness, and death

Following his retirement, Bertini worked as a pundit for several broadcasting corporations, including TV2000. He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2016. He died on 3 December 2019, in Rome, at the age of 68.