Giovanni Lopez

{{about|the professional footballer|the Mexican man killed during a police arrest|Death of Giovanni López}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Giovanni Lopez

| image =

| height = 1.81 m

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|5|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Rome, Italy

| currentclub = AlbinoLeffe (head coach)

| clubnumber =

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1985–1989 | caps1 = 104 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Varese

| years2 = 1989–1991 | caps2 = 62 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = Fidelis Andria

| years3 = 1991–1997 | caps3 = 191 | goals3 = 11 | clubs3 = Vicenza

| years4 = 1997–1998 | caps4 = 27 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = Lazio

| years5 = 1998–2000 | caps5 = 49 | goals5 = 0 | clubs5 = Napoli

| years6 = 2000–2003 | caps6 = 2 | goals6 = 0 | clubs6 = Torino

| years7 = 2003–2004 | caps7 = 24 | goals7 = 0 | clubs7 = Lodigiani

| totalcaps = 459

| totalgoals = 11

| manageryears1 = 2005–2006 | managerclubs1 = Cisco Roma (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2006 | managerclubs2 = Cisco Roma (interim)

| manageryears3 = 2006 | managerclubs3 = Cisco Roma (youth)

| manageryears4 = 2008–2009 | managerclubs4 = Cisco Roma

| manageryears5 = 2010–2012 | managerclubs5 = Lazio (assistant)

| manageryears6 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs6 = Vicenza

| manageryears7 = 2015–2016 | managerclubs7 = Lucchese

| manageryears8 = 2017–2018 | managerclubs8 = Lucchese

| manageryears9 = 2018 | managerclubs9 = Viterbese

| manageryears10 = 2019 | managerclubs10 = Viterbese

| manageryears11 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs11 = Lucchese

| manageryears12 = 2021–2022 | managerclubs12 = Pistoiese

| manageryears13 = 2023 | managerclubs13 = Viterbese

| manageryears14 = 2023– | managerclubs14 = AlbinoLeffe

}}

Giovanni Lopez (born 23 May 1967) is an Italian professional football coach and a former player, who played as a defender, currently in charge as head coach of {{Italian football updater|AlbinoLeffe}} club AlbinoLeffe.

Playing career

Whilst at Vicenza, Lopez won the 1996–97 Coppa Italia.{{cite web |url=http://www.gazzetta.it/speciali/coppa_italia/2005/albo/1997_1.html |title=1996/97 Coppa Italia |publisher=gazzetta.it |access-date=11 November 2013}} He then played for Lazio, Napoli and Torino before retiring after a single season at Rome-based club Lodigiani.

Coaching career

Lopez returned into Cisco Roma, a successor of Lodigiani, in 2006, this time as a head coach, and once again in 2008. On 15 July 2013, he was appointed as the head coach of Vicenza Calcio first team.{{cite web|last=Manduzio|first=Massimo|title=In panchina "il" capitano Lopez|url=http://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/stories/dalla_home/537464_in_panchina_il_capitano_lopez_firma_e_promette_un_vicenza_da_battaglia/|publisher=il giornale di Vicenza|access-date=16 July 2013}}

Lopez was appointed as the assistant manager of Lazio in 2010 which he worked at until 2012.[http://www.lalaziosiamonoi.it/news/reja-lo-staff-si-arricchisce-arriva-anche-giovanni-lopez-ex-difensore-della-lazio-10505 Reja, lo staff si arricchisce: arriva anche Giovanni Lopez, ex difensore della Lazio]‚ lalaziosiamonoi.it, 13 February 2010 He led Vicenza to promotion playoffs in Lega Pro Prima Divisione in his first season in charge, and was confirmed after the club was picked to fill a vacancy in the Serie B league. He was successively sacked on 29 October 2014 due to poor results.{{cite news |url=http://www.vicenzacalcio.com/disposto-lesonero-del-tecnico-giovanni-lopez/ |language=it |access-date=30 October 2014 |publisher=Vicenza Calcio |date=29 October 2014 |title=DISPOSTO L'ESONERO DEL TECNICO GIOVANNI LOPEZ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627055212/http://www.vicenzacalcio.com/disposto-lesonero-del-tecnico-giovanni-lopez/ |archive-date=27 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}

On 28 October 2015, Lucchese appointed, that they had appointed Lopez as their new manager.[http://www.asluccheselibertas.com/Items/it-IT/News/Generiche-15-16/giovanni-lopez-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-della-lucchese- Giovanni Lopez è il nuovo allenatore della Lucchese] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704203946/http://www.asluccheselibertas.com/Items/it-IT/News/Generiche-15-16/giovanni-lopez-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-della-lucchese- |date=4 July 2017 }}‚ asluccheselibertas.com, 28 October 2015 He got fired on 22 February 2016.[http://www.tuttosport.com/news/calcio/lega-pro-serie-d/lega-pro/2016/02/23-8796474/lega_pro_lucchese_ritorna_baldini_dopo_l_esonero_di_lopez/ Lega Pro Lucchese ritorna Baldini dopo l'esonero di Lopez]‚ tuttosport.com, 23 February 2016 He was resigned on 28 March 2017.[http://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/lega-pro-serie-d/lega-pro/2017/03/28-23535456/lega_pro_lucchese_e_ufficiale_torna_giovanni_lopez/ LEGA PRO Lega Pro Lucchese, è ufficiale: torna Giovanni Lopez]‚ corrieredellosport.it, 28 March 2017

He was fired by Serie C club Viterbese on 7 November 2018, with the club in 10th place in the table.{{cite web|publisher=Viterbese|url=https://viterbesecastrense.it/7790/|title=COMUNICATO STAMPA: ESONERO MISTER GIOVANNI LOPEZ; STEFANO SOTTILI ALLA GUIDA TECNICA DELLA SQUADRA|trans-title=PRESS RELEASE: MISTER GIOVANNI LOPEZ DISMISSED; STEFANO SOTTILI AT THE TECHNICAL GUIDE OF THE TEAM|language=it|date=7 November 2018}} On 20 August 2019, he was reappointed at the helm of Viterbese.{{cite web|publisher=ViterboNews24|url=http://www.viterbonews24.it/news/viterbese:-lopez-torna-in-panchina_97429.htm|title=Viterbese: Lopez torna in panchina |trans-title=Viterbese: Lopez back in charge|language=it|date=20 August 2019|access-date=25 August 2019}} He was fired again on 11 November 2019, following Coppa Italia elimination and a consequent league loss, despite the club being in 6th place in the table.{{cite web|publisher=Tutto Mercato 24|url=https://www.tuttomercato24.com/news-serie-c-viterbese-calcio-esonerato-mister-giovanni-lopez/|title=NEWS SERIE C: LA VITERBESE CALCIO ESONERA MISTER LOPEZ|date=11 November 2019|language=it}}

On 26 October 2020 he was hired once again by Lucchese.{{cite web|publisher=Lucchese|url=http://www.lucchese1905.it/giovanni-lopez-alla-guida-dei-rossoneri/|title=Giovanni Lopez alla guida dei rossoneri|date=26 October 2020|language=it}} He was sacked on 13 April 2021, leaving Lucchese deep in relegation zone by the final part of the season.{{cite web |accessdate=13 April 2021 |date=13 April 2021 |language=Italian |publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb |title=Lucchese, esonerato Giovanni Lopez. Squadra affidata a Oliviero Di Stefano |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/ufficiale-lucchese-esonerato-giovanni-lopez-squadra-affidata-a-oliviero-di-stefano-1520560}}

On 14 December 2021, he was hired by Pistoiese in Serie C.{{cite web|publisher=Pistoiese|url=https://www.uspistoiese1921.it/giovanni-lopez-e-il-nuovo-allenatore/|title=Giovanni Lopez è il nuovo allenatore|date=14 December 2021|language=it|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214133209/https://www.uspistoiese1921.it/giovanni-lopez-e-il-nuovo-allenatore/|url-status=dead}} He was dismissed only a month later, on 25 January 2022, following a club takeover.{{cite web|publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb|url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/ufficiale-pistoiese-esonerato-il-tecnico-giovanni-lopez-1637846|title=Pistoiese, esonerato il tecnico Giovanni Lopez|date=25 January 2022|language=it}}

On 18 January 2023, Lopez agreed to return to Viterbese for a personal third stint at the club.{{cite web|publisher=U.S. Viterbese 1908|url=https://usviterbese.it/2023/01/18/bentornato-a-mister-giovanni-lopez/|title=Bentornato a mister Giovanni Lopez|date=18 January 2023|language=it}}

After failing to save Viterbese from relegation, on 1 July 2023 Lopez was unveiled as the new head coach of fellow Serie C club AlbinoLeffe.{{cite web|publisher=La Casa di C|url=https://www.lacasadic.com/news-serie-c/albinoleffe-lopez-allenatore-obbedio-direttore-sportivo-comunicato-lega-pro-1-luglio-2023/|title=AlbinoLeffe, scelto Lopez per la panchina. Obbedio è il nuovo ds del club|date=1 July 2023 |accessdate=8 August 2023 |language=it}}