Cristiano Lupatelli (born 21 June 1978) is an Italian professional football coach and former player who is the goalkeeping coach of club Juventus U23. As a player, he was a goalkeeper; he is known for his trademark goatee and sideburns with his bald head.
Lupatelli was born in Perugia. He won a scudetto while playing for Roma in season 2000âÂÂ01. A Roma youth product, Lupatelli was farmed to Chievo for the 2001âÂÂ02 and 2002âÂÂ03 seasons, after he played just 12 Serie A games for the capital club, wearing the number 10 jersey, despite being a goalkeeper, because of a bet he made with friends. He was sold to Chievo for three billion Italian lire in a co-ownership deal in 2002. In the 2003âÂÂ04 season, he returned to Roma for â¬900,000, as the backup of Ivan Pelizzoli.
In summer 2004, he joined Fiorentina on a free transfer.
Lupatelli featured regularly for the Fiorentina first team in the 2004âÂÂ05 season, but after the arrival of Sébastien Frey in 2005, Bogdan Lobonàin the 2006âÂÂ07 season, and Vlada Avramov in 2007, he became the club's third choice keeper, and was loaned out to Parma during 2005âÂÂ06 season for part of Frey's deal.
Whilst on loan at Parma, he was exchanged with Matteo Guardalben mid-season.
In September 2008, he joined Cagliari on a free transfer, acting as a deputy to Federico Marchetti.
He was set to become a free agent on 1 July 2010, and was not called up to the club's 2010âÂÂ11 pre-season training camp. During the 2010âÂÂ11 summer transfer window, he joined Bologna on a free transfer, as Emiliano Viviano's backup.
On 8 July 2011, he joined Genoa on a free transfer, after being released from Bologna. He served as the backup to Frey once again.
On 15 July 2012, he joined Fiorentina once again, on a free transfer.
He retired from football after his contract with Fiorentina expired on 1 July 2015.
On 15 August 2018, Lupatelli was appointed goalkeeping coach of newly-formed Serie C club Juventus U23, the reserve team of Juventus.