Leo Fasan Explained

Leo Fasan
Full Name:Leonardo Fasan
Birth Date:4 January 1994[1]
Birth Place:San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy
Height:1.88m[2]
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthyears1:2007–2010
Youthclubs1:Udinese Calcio
Youthyears2:2010–2014
Youthclubs2:Celtic
Years1:2014–2017
Clubs1:Celtic
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2017
Clubs2:Port Vale (loan)
Caps2:10
Goals2:0
Years3:2017–2018
Clubs3:Bury
Caps3:15
Goals3:0
Years4:2018
Caps4:3
Goals4:0
Years5:2018–2019
Clubs5:Falkirk
Caps5:13
Goals5:0
Years6:2020
Clubs6:Sicula Leonzio
Caps6:2
Goals6:0
Years7:2020–2021
Caps7:5
Goals7:0
Years8:2021
Club-Update:18 April 2021

Leonardo Fasan (born 4 January 1994) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.

He moved from Udinese Calcio to join Scottish club Celtic in 2010, where he turned professional in August 2014. Playing for the reserve and youth teams at Celtic, he won the Glasgow Cup, Scottish Youth Cup, SPFL U20 League, and SPFL Development League. However, he never played a first-team game for Celtic and was released following a loan spell at English club Port Vale at the end of the 2016–17 season. He signed with Bury in August 2017, then with Kilmarnock in February 2018. He signed for Falkirk in June 2018 before being dislodged in January and freed in May 2019. He returned to Italy to join Sicula Leonzio in January 2020 and moved on to Paganese nine months later. He later played for Nola.

Career

Celtic

Fasan was associated with Udinese Calcio, before he joined Scottish Premiership club Celtic in 2010, initially on a trial basis.[3] [4] He kept a clean sheet in the 2011 final of the Glasgow Cup as Celtic's under-17s beat Old Firm rivals Rangers 1–0.[5] He was an unused substitute in the 2012 Scottish Youth Cup final, as Celtic recorded an 8–0 victory over Queen of the South at Hampden Park.[6] He played in goal for the 2012–13 Scottish Youth Cup final, as Celtic beat Dunfermline Athletic 3–1.[7] He turned professional at the club in August 2014 when he signed a three-year contract after impressing manager Ronny Deila during pre-season.[4] [8] However, he failed to establish himself as the club's second-choice goalkeeper ahead of Łukasz Załuska, Logan Bailly, or Dorus de Vries.[9]

On 31 January 2017, he joined EFL League One side Port Vale on loan until the end of the 2016–17 season.[10] He was signed by manager Michael Brown following the sale of Jak Alnwick to Rangers, leaving Fasan to compete with fellow youngsters Ryan Boot and Harry Pickering for a first-team place.[11] [12] He made his senior debut in 3–0 defeat to Peterborough United at Vale Park on 4 February. He was named as the home team's man of the match after he saved a penalty in the first-half.[13] He also saved a penalty in his third game for the club, during a 2–0 defeat to Millwall at The Den on 11 February; Brown said that "they were fantastic penalty saves but his game has to improve".[14] He lost his first-team place to new signing Deniz Mehmet in mid-March, but returned to the starting eleven for the final two games of the season.[15] [16]

Bury

On 10 August 2017, Fasan signed for League One club Bury on non-contract terms.[17] Manager Lee Clark signed him to provide cover for Joe Murphy whilst the "Shakers" boss attempted to sign Freddie Woodman.[18] Fasan did not make any first-team appearances in this time.

Kilmarnock

Fasan signed a short-term contract with Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock on 1 February 2018, becoming manager Steve Clarke's second goalkeeper signing within 24 hours following the arrival of Jasko Keranovic.[19] He featured in four games for "Killie" in the latter half of the 2017–18 campaign. Fasan was released by Kilmarnock in May 2018, at the end of his contract.[20]

Falkirk

On 11 June 2018, Fasan signed a one-year contract with Scottish Championship side Falkirk; manager Paul Hartley said that "I am sure he will continue to progress and develop with regular game time in the coming year, we now have three very good goalkeepers on our books [Fasan, [[David Mitchell (footballer, born 1990)|David Mitchell]] and Robbie Mutch]".[21] However, the "Bairns" registered only one victory in Fasan's first ten games for the club and he was sent off against Morton after fouling Michael Tidser.[22] Fasan quickly fell out the picture due to a number of poor displays and was replaced instead by two other goalkeepers in turn, David Mitchell initially and then Wolves loanee Harry Burgoyne. Falkirk went on to be relegated into League One, and Fasan was released in the summer.[23]

Return to Italy

On 24 January 2020, he returned to Italy to sign with Serie C club Sicula Leonzio.[24] He served as backup to Marius Adamonis before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. The season resumed for the relegation playoffs in late June 2020, and Adamonis returned to his parent club Lazio from his loan by then. Fasan started both relegation playoff games against Bisceglie and kept a clean sheet in both as Sicula Leonzio retained their Serie C spot before the club was dissolved for financial reasons.

On 18 September 2020, he signed a two-year contract with Paganese.[25] After starting the first 5 games of the 2020–21 Serie C season, he was moved to the bench after a 2–5 loss to Vibonese, and never made another appearance for Paganese, as first Matteo Campani and then Paolo Baiocco became first-choice goalkeepers for the club.

On 15 April 2021, he moved to Serie D club Nola.[26]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Celtic2014–15Scottish Premiership0000000000
2015–16Scottish Premiership0000000000
2016–17Scottish Premiership0000000000
Total0000000000
Port Vale (loan)2016–17League One100000000100
Bury2017–18League One15020004[27] 0210
Kilmarnock2017–18Scottish Premiership3010000040
Falkirk2018–19Scottish Championship130103010180
Sicula Leonzio2019–20Serie C2000000020
Paganese2020–21Serie C5000000050
Career total480403050600

Honours

Celtic Under-20s and Academy

2011[5]

2011–12 & 2012–13[6] [7]

2013–14

2015–16

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2016/2017 . www.footballsquads.co.uk . 1 February 2021.
  2. Web site: FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2016/17 . www.footballsquads.co.uk . 24 June 2019.
  3. News: Gatto. Riccardo. Fasan, un portiere italiano per il Celtic: "Buffon il mio idolo, ora sogno la Champions". 1 February 2017. gianlucadimarzio.com. 23 May 2014. it.
  4. News: Henderson. Mark. Fasan's delight at penning new deal. 1 February 2017. CelticFC.net. 27 August 2014. en-gb.
  5. News: Celtic Under-17s lift the Glasgow Cup . 9 May 2011 . Celtic FC . 9 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120322164542/http://www.celticfc.net/newsstory?item=1051 . 22 March 2012 .
  6. News: Fasan eager for Hampden return. 1 February 2017. Celticnewsnow.
  7. News: Temple. Alan. Dunfermline U20 1 - 3 Celtic U20: Kennedy's side champs. 1 February 2017. The Scotsman. 2 May 2013. en.
  8. News: Henderson. Martin. Fasan eyeing further game time. 1 February 2017. CelticFC.net. 8 July 2014. en-gb.
  9. News: McHugh. Joe. Celtic keeper goes out on loan videocelts.com. 1 February 2017. videocelts.com. 1 February 2017. en.
  10. News: Port Vale: Blackpool's Danny Pugh and Celtic's Leonardo Fasan move to Vale Park. 1 February 2017. BBC Sport. 31 January 2017.
  11. News: Baggaley. Mike. Port Vale sign Celtic keeper Leonardo Fasan. 1 February 2017. Stoke Sentinel. 31 January 2017. en.
  12. News: Welcome To Vale Park - Leonardo Fasan. 1 February 2017. port-vale.co.uk. 31 January 2017. en.
  13. News: Port Vale v Peterborough United. 4 February 2017. BBC Sport. 4 February 2017.
  14. News: Baggaley. Mike. Port Vale boss Brown reflects on Celtic keeper's flying start. 16 February 2017. Stoke Sentinel. 16 February 2017. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170217062528/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-boss-michael-brown-reflects-on-celtic-keeper-s-spectacular-start/story-30142123-detail/story.html#. 17 February 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  15. News: Baggaley. Mike. Port Vale 2, Shrewsbury 1: Brown's battlers claim crucial win. 18 March 2017. Stoke Sentinel. 17 March 2017. en.
  16. News: Baggaley. Mike. Port Vale quietly determined to finish the job at Fleetwood. 28 April 2017. Stoke Sentinel. 28 April 2017. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20170428113111/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-quietly-determined-to-finish-the-job-at-fleetwood/story-30298666-detail/story.html#. 28 April 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  17. News: Leonardo Fasan: Bury sign former Celtic goalkeeper on non-contract terms. 10 August 2017. BBC Sport. 10 August 2017.
  18. News: Clark relishing a massive cup tie. 2 February 2018. Bury Times. 10 August 2017. en.
  19. Web site: Leo Fasan: Kilmarnock sign ex-Celtic goalkeeper until end of season . BBC Sport . BBC . 1 February 2018 . 2 February 2018.
  20. Web site: Player updates: Departures after 2017/18 season . Kilmarnock FC . 24 May 2018 . 24 May 2018.
  21. News: Oliver . David . Falkirk land Italian goalkeeper . 11 June 2018 . Falkirk Herald . 11 June 2018.
  22. News: McInnes . Andrew . The curious case of former Celtic keeper Leo Fasan . 14 May 2019 . footballscotland . 27 February 2019.
  23. News: Doyle . Chris . Falkirk part ways with 14 first team players after relegation . 14 May 2019 . footballscotland . 9 May 2019.
  24. Sicula Leonzio. Leonardo Fasan nuovo portiere bianconero. 24 January 2020. Italian.
  25. Paganese. INGAGGIATO LEONARDO FASAN. 18 September 2020. Italian.
  26. Web site: Nola. Colpo di mercato. 15 April 2021. it.
  27. Appearances in the EFL Trophy