| Matias Antonini | |
| Fullname: | Matias Antonini Lui |
| Birth Date: | 9 April 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Porto Alegre, Brazil |
| Height: | 1.93 m |
| Position: | Centre back |
| Currentclub: | Catanzaro |
| Clubnumber: | 4 |
| Youthclubs1: | Grêmio |
| Youthclubs2: | Meda |
| Youthyears3: | 2015–2016 |
| Youthclubs3: | Inter Milan |
| Youthyears4: | 2016–2018 |
| Youthclubs4: | Cagliari |
| Youthyears5: | 2018–2020 |
| Youthclubs5: | Grêmio |
| Years1: | 2020 |
| Clubs1: | Arezzo |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs2: | NibionnOggiono |
| Caps2: | 29 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs3: | Ravenna |
| Caps3: | 36 |
| Goals3: | 6 |
| Years4: | 2022–2024 |
| Clubs4: | Taranto |
| Caps4: | 57 |
| Goals4: | 7 |
| Years5: | 2024– |
| Clubs5: | Catanzaro |
| Caps5: | 14 |
| Goals5: | 3 |
| Pcupdate: | 5 May 2024 |
Matias Antonini Lui (born 9 April 1998) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for club Catanzaro.
Antonini started his career as part of the youth system of Grêmio before moving to Italy to join amateur club Meda.[1] He was subsequently scouted by Inter Milan who signed him for their youth teams. After a few appearances with friendly games for Inter, Antonini left the Nerazzurri for Cagliari, joining the Under-19 Primavera team;[2] he shortly thereafter made his professional first team debut in a 2016–17 Coppa Italia game against Sampdoria ended in a 0–3 away loss, on what turned to be his only senior appearance with the Sardinian club.[3] Despite having served as team captain for the Under-19 team of Cagliari, he was released in July 2018 and then left to move back to Brazil, re-joining Grêmio.[4]
In February 2020, Antonini returned to Italy, joining Serie C club Arezzo.[5]
After failing to make any appearances for Arezzo, he left the Tuscan club to join Serie D club NibionnOggiono, with whom he finally managed to play as a regular.
His impressive performances won him the interest of the ambitious Serie D club Ravenna, who signed him in July 2021.[6]
In July 2022, Antonini signed for Serie C club Taranto.[7] He quickly affirmed himself as a staple for the Apulians, playing as a regular and being praised for his performances, which gained him a contract extension until 30 June 2025.[8] In the 2023–24 Serie C season, Antonini established himself as one of the best defenders in the league, as well as a prolific goalscorer (with four goals in his first sixteen games),[9] and then being linked to higher division clubs and praised by his manager Ezio Capuano as player with Serie A potential.[10]
Antonini, therefore, experienced the best seasons of his career in Taranto, revealing himself to be a key player for the rossoblù.
On 21 January 2024, Antonini joined Serie B side Catanzaro for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until June 2027.[11] [12]
Antonini was born and raised in Brazil to a father of Austrian origins and a mother of Italian ancestry.
He also holds Italian citizenship through jus sanguinis.[13]