Franco Brienza

Early career

Born in Cantù but growing up in Ischia, Brienza began his footballing career with local club Campagnano, before moving to Florence at the age of 15 to play for Isolotto. In 1997–98 he joined Serie B club Foggia and stayed when the team was relegated to Serie C1 in 1998 and to Serie C2 in 1999.

Palermo

Under Sensi

In 2000, he was signed by A.S. Roma along with teammates Attilio Nicodemo and Giuseppe Di Masi, which cost Roma 100 million Italian lire for Brienza (€51,646). Roma loaned out Brienza and Nicodemo along with Roma youth products Daniele De Vezze and Luca Ferri to sister club Palermo, which Roma president Franco Sensi had acquired in March 2000. Brienza helped his club to win the league and achieve promotion to Serie B in 2001. On 30 June 2002, he permanently joined Palermo in a co-ownership deal for €5.5 million, as part of the deal to sign Davide Bombardini, priced €11 million.

Under Zamparini

After Sensi sold the club to Maurizio Zamparini in July 2002, Brienza was out of favour at Palermo, as Zamparini bought players from his other club Venezia. The co-ownership deal was terminated on 13 August 2002 for 1 million lire (€516). His registration rights (€5,500,516) were also reduced to €1M to reflect his real value. However, the "write-down" was actually through Articolo 18-bis Legge 91/1981, which only left over the toxic asset "worth "€4,500,516" list in asset side and amortize in 10-year period. On 31 August…

In 2005, Brienza was called up to the Italy national team by Marcello Lippi and was subsequently capped during a friendly North-American tour with the Azzurri, marking his debut in a 1–1 draw with Serbia and Montenegro at Rogers Centre, Toronto on 8 June 2005, replacing Giorgio Chiellini in the 64th minute. In the match against Ecuador three days later, Brienza featured in the starting lineup partnering Luca Toni and David Di Michele. Brienza and Toni were replaced by Cristiano Lucarelli and Antonio Langella at half-time in the 1–1 draw at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey state.

A diminutive and creative playmaker, who was known for his technique as well as his striking and passing ability with his left foot, he usually played as a forward or as an attacking midfielder, known as the Trequartista position in Italy, although he was also capable of playing as a second striker, in deep-lying creative role as a central midfielder (known as the regista position in Italy), or as a right winger, a position which allowed him to cut into the middle onto his stronger foot.

Club

International