Amedeo Carboni

Valencia Aged already 32, Carboni moved abroad for the first time, signing for Spanish side Valencia CF in July 1997. Both he and Roma were initially reluctant to the move, with the player having recently overcome a major Achilles heel injury. Carboni was approached by Roberto Baggio's agent, Antonio Caliendo. On 7 September 1997 he became only the seventh Italian to ever play in La Liga (with four of the last seven having come within the past year following a 46 year absence), and was sent off in his first game against FC Barcelona. He appeared in 29 La Liga games in his first season, receiving nine yellow cards and three red as they finished in ninth position, in a campaign which saw manager Jorge Valdano being fired after only three rounds, with the player's countryman Claudio Ranieri taking his place. He also helped Valencia to their second consecutive UEFA Champions League final against FC Bayern Munich in 2001, but missed his penalty in an eventual shootout loss; during the first 120 minutes, he also committed the penalty that led to the Stefan Effenberg 1–1 equaliser.

The 38-year-old Carboni played 44 competitive matches as Valencia won the league/UEFA Cup double in 2003–04. On 23 October 2005 he became the oldest player at the age of 40 years, six months and 17 days to take the field in the Spanish league, a record previously held by Deportivo de La Coruña's Donato – he had already achieved the feat of being the oldest winner of any European club competition when he won the UEFA Cup. Due to his age, Carboni became known in Valencia's dressing rooms as Yayo, meaning Grandpa in Spanish. Ranieri was sacked following a seventh place finish in La Liga, with Moretti being the only of the Italian signings who was still at the club by the end of 2006. After the emergence of Moretti, Carboni only played five times in 2005–06, and retired from football at the age of 41, having appeared in 346 official games for Valencia. His last game was away against CA Osasuna on 16 May 2006.

On 19 June 2007, Carboni was sacked by Valencia as the working relationship between him and Quique Sánchez Flores was strained after several disputes. The manager was dismissed himself only four months later.

Late career On 10 June 2009, Carboni became the new sporting director at Mouscron in Belgium, teaming up with former Valencia teammate Miroslav Đukić, who acted as the manager. In early June of the following year he reunited with former Valencia boss Rafael Benítez at Inter Milan, working with the Nerazzurri as technical consultant.

International career On 21 December 1988, Carboni earned his only cap for the Italy under-21 side, scoring in an 8–0 home rout of Malta. He made his full debut on 25 March 1992 – two weeks shy of his 27th birthday – in a 1–0 friendly home win over Germany. He missed the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups due to injury. and Germany (0–0) in an eventual group stage exit. On 2 April 1997 he made his eighteenth and final appearance, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 away draw with Poland for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as Cesare Maldini was in charge.

Style of play Carboni was an athletic and hard-working attacking full back, who was known for his surging runs along the left flank as well as his longevity, stamina and defensive consistency.

Personal life Carboni's older brother, Guido, was also a footballer and later a manager.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours Sampdoria Coppa Italia: 1988–89 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1989–90

Roma La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04 Copa del Rey: 1998–99 Supercopa de España: 1999 UEFA Cup: 2003–04 UEFA Super Cup: 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998