Roberto Bonano

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Roberto Bonano

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Roberto Oscar Bonano

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|1|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Rosario, Argentina

| height = 1.86m

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Rosario Central

| years1 = 1991–1996

| years2 = 1996–2001

| years3 = 2001–2003

| years4 = 2004

| years5 = 2004–2008

| clubs1 = Rosario Central

| clubs2 = River Plate

| clubs3 = Barcelona

| clubs4 = Murcia

| clubs5 = Alavés

| caps1 = 110

| caps2 = 104

| caps3 = 51

| caps4 = 11

| caps5 = 56

| totalcaps = 332

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| totalgoals = 1

| nationalyears1 = 1989

| nationalyears2 = 1996–2000

| nationalteam1 = Argentina U20

| nationalteam2 = Argentina

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalcaps2 = 13

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Roberto Oscar Bonano (born 24 January 1970) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Already in his 30s, he moved from River Plate to Spain where he spent the remainder of his 17-year professional career in representation of three teams, mainly Alavés.

Bonano earned 13 caps for Argentina, and was part of the squad at the 2002 World Cup.

Playing career

=Club=

Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Bonano represented in his native country Rosario Central and Club Atlético River Plate, winning several titles with the latter including five Argentine Primera División championships.[https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2023/09/06/entrevista-a-roberto-bonano-de-su-experiencia-al-lado-de-estrellas-como-rivaldo-xavi-e-iniesta-al-futbol-opaco-del-barcelona-sin-messi/ Entrevista a Roberto Bonano: de su experiencia al lado de estrellas como Rivaldo, Xavi e Iniesta al “fútbol opaco” del Barcelona sin Messi (Interview to Roberto Bonano: from his experience alongside stars as Rivaldo, Xavi and Iniesta to Barcelona's "opaque football" without Messi)]; Infobae, 5 September 2023 (in Spanish) In 2001, at 31, he moved to FC Barcelona, initially as first-choice; he made his La Liga debut on 26 August of that year, in a 2–1 away win against Sevilla FC.[http://elpais.com/diario/2001/08/27/deportes/998863203_850215.html Kluivert resuelve el dilema del Barça (Kluivert solves Barça conundrum)]; El País, 27 August 2001 (in Spanish)

After the emergence of Víctor Valdés from the Catalans' academy, however, Bonano was deemed surplus to requirements[https://elpais.com/diario/2002/08/15/deportes/1029362403_850215.html Víctor Valdés, el portero moderno (Víctor Valdés, the modern goalkeeper)]; El País, 15 August 2002 (in Spanish) and signed with Real Murcia CF,[https://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2003/12/30/liga/1072743033.html El Murcia ficha a Roberto Bonano (Murcia sign Roberto Bonano)]; El Mundo, 30 December 2003 (in Spanish) joining Deportivo Alavés in the Segunda División in summer 2004 following his team's relegation.[https://as.com/futbol/2004/07/16/mas_futbol/1089959244_850215.html Piterman contrata a Bonano como portero (Piterman signs Bonano as goalkeeper)]; Diario AS, 16 July 2004 (in Spanish) With the Basques, he was instrumental in a 2005 top-flight promotion but, the following campaign, acted second-fiddle to his compatriot Franco Costanzo who also played with him at River,[https://www.lanacion.com.ar/792152-un-regreso-poco-feliz Un regreso poco feliz (Not a very happy return)]; La Nación, 27 March 2006 (in Spanish) as the season ended in relegation.[https://www.noticiasdealava.eus/alaves/2021/01/22/100-anos-gloria-barro-1141510.html 100 años entre la gloria y el barro (100 years between the glory and the mud)]; Noticias de Álava, 22 January 2021 (in Spanish)

Bonano's last year at Alavés was highly turbulent, being suspended by the club's elusive chairman/owner/manager Dmitry Piterman after the latter had had a run-in with teammate Lluís Carreras.[http://www.gara.net/paperezkoa/20070221/4449/eu/Bonano/planta/ante/Piterman/le/dejan/solo?Hizk=fr Bonano se planta ante Piterman y le dejan solo (Bonano confronts Piterman and is left alone)]; Gara, 21 February 2007 (in Spanish) He retired at the season's close, aged 38.

=International=

Bonano represented Argentina at various youth levels. He made his senior debut on 28 December 1996, in a 3–2 friendly loss to Yugoslavia.[https://laseleccionargentina.com/que-es-de-la-vida-de-tito-bonano-ex-arquero-de-la-seleccion-argentina-que-merecio-mas-oportunidades/ Qué es de la vida de Tito Bonano, ex arquero de la Selección Argentina que mereció más oportunidades (What happened to Tito Bonano, former Argentina national team goalkeeper who deserved to play more)]; La Selección Argentina, 21 October 2023 (in Spanish)

Bonano was subsequently picked up for the 2002 FIFA World Cup as a backup to Pablo Cavallero and Germán Burgos,[https://www.emol.com/noticias/deportes/2002/05/28/86366/el-meta-pablo-cavallero-desplaza-a-burgos-y-bonano-en-argentina.html El meta Pablo Cavallero desplaza a Burgos y Bonano en Argentina (Goalie Pablo Cavallero surpasses Burgos and Bonano in Argentina)]; El Mercurio, 28 May 2002 (in Spanish) and appeared in 13 matches for his country in four years.[https://www.nacion.com/puro-deporte/el-unico/GGUQ33ZH5RF4ZG3CYTPWZL5MSA/story/ El único (The only one)]; La Nación, 27 May 2002 (in Spanish)

Coaching career

From 2011 to 2013, Bonano worked as assistant under Eduardo Berizzo, first with Estudiantes de La Plata then O'Higgins F.C. in Chile.[http://www.ohigginsfc.cl/2013/12/12/el-adios-de-roberto-tito-bonano/ El adiós de Roberto "Tito" Bonano (The farewell of Roberto "Tito" Bonano)]; O'Higgins FC, 12 December 2013 (in Spanish) Again in Spain, he was assistant and goalkeeper coach at Carreras' RCD Mallorca.[http://www.elmundo.es/baleares/2014/02/26/530e3319268e3ea4698b457f.html Lluís Carreras, nuevo entrenador del Mallorca (Lluís Carreras, new Mallorca manager)]; El Mundo, 26 February 2014 (in Spanish)

On 6 July 2015, Bonano reunited with his compatriot Berizzo, joining his staff at RC Celta de Vigo.[http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2015/07/06/primera/1436173673_970858.html Roberto Bonano, nuevo ayudante de Berizzo en el Celta de Vigo (Roberto Bonano, new Berizzo assistant at Celta de Vigo)]; Diario AS, 6 July 2015 (in Spanish) Two years later, in the same capacity and under the same manager, he signed for Sevilla.[http://www.lavanguardia.com/deportes/20170613/423379484274/berizzo-llega-al-sevilla-con-cinco-ayudantes-habituales-de-su-equipo-tecnico.html Berizzo llega al Sevilla con cinco ayudantes habituales de su equipo técnico (Berizzo arrives at Sevilla with five habitual assistants of his coaching staff)]; La Vanguardia, 13 June 2017 (in Spanish)