Gino Valentini

Gino Alberto Valentini Cuadra (born 10 October 1958) is a Chilean football manager and former player who played as a midfielder for clubs in Chile, Spain and Mexico.

Playing career A product of Universidad Católica youth system, Valentini is well remembered for scoring the winning goal in the Clásico Universitario played in 1984, where his team broke a stint of 13 years with no defeating Universidad de Chile.

In his homeland, he also played for Unión San Felipe (1987) and Deportes Arica (1988) in the Chilean Segunda División.

In Spain, he played for Real Oviedo in the second level, where he came alongside his fellow Óscar Meneses.

In Mexico, he played for Tampico Madero and Irapuato in the top division.

Managerial career Valentini worked as both manager and coach in the Universidad Católica youth system, where he trained players such as Jorge Kike Acuña. As an anecdote, he met and could join Lionel Scaloni to the club when the Argentine was fourteen years old.

As head coach, he has led Regional Atacama, Municipal Las Condes, Provincial Osorno, with whom he got promotion to the top division in the 1999 season, Deportes Puerto Montt and Deportes Melipilla. and sport adviser for Deportes Concepción.

Controversies In the context of the relegation of Deportes Melipilla to the Primera B de Chile in the 2021 season, Valentini reported irregulatities and contract issues with the players while he was the sport manager. So, he has had public quarrels with the then coach.

Honours As player Universidad Católica Chilean Primera División: 1984 Copa Polla Gol: 1983 Copa República: 1983