New Inter Player Bios Part 1

Campagnaro – Hugo Campagnaro started his career in 1998 at Deportivo Moron, Argentina. In 2002 he came to Italy to play at Piacienza, which at the time was a Serie A team. In 2007 he was sold to Sampdoria where he stayed for 2 seasons until he was transferred to Napoli with Daniele Mannini going the other way. Looking at his stats, it doesn’t look like he was a first choice for Mazzarri in Sampdoria. Hugo went to Napoli in July to play for Donadoni, I think. Mazzarri became Napoli coach after the season started – fairly early on, I want to say September or October. Hugo became a regular starter for Mazzarri during his 4 years at Napoli. Like his stint at Napoli, Hugo’s transfer preceded Mazzarri’s arrival. I hope that the similar arrival to both Inter and Napoli - where he played so well these 4 years bodes well for us and the 33 year old defender.

If my memory is still working, Campagnaro played on the right side of a back trio in Napoli. In the games that I saw, Campagnaro wasn’t afraid to take the ball up the field when there was space for him to push up and opponents were back playing the pass. If there is a weakness to his game as far as I am concerned, it has to do with his aerial ability. Not only is he a touch short, when I have watched him, he didn’t seem to get in great position when the ball was in the air. Either way you look at him, he’s a Serie A defender who has played for a Champions League spot for the last 2 seasons and I think that Inter are fortunate to have him on the team for a free.

Andreolli – Marco Andreolli is a former Inter youth player coming home about 2 years after I thought it was going to happen. 2.5 years ago, it was rumored that Inter had acquired half of his card and was going to get the other half in the summer of that year. It never happened and there was some doubt that Inter ever had that half of his rights. But Marco’s story with Inter starts further back than that.

Inter acquired his rights in 2003 and in 2005, when he was 18, he was part of the senior team under Mancini. By 2007, after 2 injury troubled years he was included in the deal with Roma that brought Chivu to Inter. Three more injury troubled seasons that included 2 loans later and he was sold to Chievo for a very small amount, but for the life of me I have no idea how much as I kind of lost track of Marco after a while. At Chievo Marco got the most Serie A playing time of his career until last season when it seemed as though he was surplus to requirements. This summer Inter got him back in house on a free.

At the time, when it looked like Andreolli was being groomed under Mancini, I thought he looked like he had incredible potential, but he injuries worried me. The injury problem continued in Roma, where it looked like they really believed in him – but just couldn’t make it work. I thought he was playing well in Chievo, but I don’t know what happened to cause the rift there.

From what I remember of him, and it’s not really too much, I recall him being an Italian defender – not so great with the feet, strong, tall and willing go in strong on the tackle.

FORZA INTER