Paulo Pezzolano

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pezzolano and the second or maternal family name is Suárez.
Paulo Pezzolano
Personal information
Full name Paulo César Pezzolano Suárez
Date of birth (1983-04-25) 25 April 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2006 Rentistas 49 (16)
2006 Atlético Paranaense 5 (2)
2006-2007 Defensor Sporting 31 (5)
2008 Peñarol 12 (0)
2008–2011 Liverpool Montevideo 39 (20)
2009–2010 → Mallorca (loan) 12 (0)
2011–2012 Hangzhou Greentown 24 (6)
2012 Necaxa 12 (1)
2012–2016 Liverpool Montevideo 74 (22)
2016 Torque 15 (3)
Managerial career
2017 Torque
2018–2019 Liverpool Montevideo
2019–2021 Pachuca
2022–2023 Cruzeiro
2023–2024 Valladolid
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paulo César Pezzolano Suárez (Latin American Spanish: [ˈpawlo pesoˈlano]; born 25 April 1983) is a Uruguayan football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder.

Playing career

Pezzolano comes from the capital city of Montevideo and is a graduate of the local team Rentistas, were for the senior team he was involved in the age of 18. His team was relegated to the Second Division after a poor season in 2001. He spent the next two years, after which he returned with his team to the First División.

In 2006, he moved to the Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense; but, after six months, he returned to his native country, signing an agreement with Defensor Sporting. In the 2006–07 season, he took a decisive role with his team to achieve third place in the league and to get to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Copa Libertadores.

In July 2007, Pezzolano signed with Uruguayan giants Peñarol. Six months later, he joined Liverpool Montevideo, scoring a hat-trick in his debut against Central Español.[1] In his first season (Clausura 2008) with the team, he was the top scorer of the tournament, scoring 12 goals in 14 games. A year later, in the Copa Sudamericana, they were knocked out in the first stage.

In August 2009, Pezzolano went on loan to Spanish team Mallorca.[2] He made his La Liga debut on September 19, 2009, meeting with the 4–0 win against Tenerife.[3] Overall, in the 2009–2010 season, he played 12 matches in Mallorca, but only one in the starting eleven, as the team led by Gregorio Manzano took fifth place in the league table.

Pezzolano was transferred to Chinese Super League side Hangzhou Greentown in January 2011.[4] He made his Chinese Super League debut on 1 April 2011 against Nanchang Hengyuan, scoring one goal.[5]

In early January 2012, he joined Liga de Ascenso side Necaxa.[6]

In July 2012, he returned to his home city to play for the second time in his career with Liverpool Montevideo. In his first game upon his return, he scored a penalty against Universitario in the Copa Sudamericana.[7]

In February 2016, he joined Torque on a free transfer. He spent a season with them, before announcing his retirement on 23 November 2016, aged 33.[8]

Coaching career

Torque

Immediately after retiring, Pezzolano became the manager of Torque for the upcoming season.[8] He led the club to the 2017 Segunda División title before leaving the club on 25 November 2017.[9]

Liverpool Montevideo

On 18 December 2017, Pezzolano was named manager of another club he represented as a player, Liverpool Montevideo.[10] He departed the club on 25 November 2019,[11] after accepting an offer from a foreign club.

Pachuca

Hours after leaving Liverpool, Pezzolano was named in charge of Liga MX side Pachuca, replacing Martín Palermo.[12] He led Pachuca to the play-offs during the 2020–21 season, losing in the semifinals of the 2021 Torneo Guardianes.

On 8 November 2021, after a 15th-place finish in the 2021 Apertura tournament, Pezzolano left the club on a mutual agreement.[13]

Cruzeiro

On 3 January 2022, Pezzolano was announced as new head coach of Brazilian Série B side Cruzeiro, becoming their first head coach after the team's sale to Ronaldo.[14] He reached the finals of the 2022 Campeonato Mineiro.

Pezzolano led Cruzeiro to a promotion to the Série A, and became the champion of the category with the most numbers of anticipated rounds.[15] On 19 March 2023, however, he left the club on a mutual agreement,[16] after their elimination in the 2023 Mineiro.

Valladolid

On 4 April 2023, Pezzolano was appointed manager of Real Valladolid, also owned by Ronaldo, in the place of sacked Pacheta.[17] Despite suffering relegation, he remained in charge of the club in the 2023–24 season, and achieved promotion back to the top tier.[18]

On 30 November 2024, after a 5–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid, Valladolid that Pezzolano will not continue as manager.[19]

Managerial statistics

As of 30 November 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Torque Uruguay 28 November 2016 26 November 2017 28 16 8 4 48 23 +25 057.14 [20]
Liverpool Uruguay 17 December 2017 25 November 2019 77 32 24 21 112 94 +18 041.56 [21]
Pachuca Mexico 6 December 2019 11 November 2021 73 24 24 25 87 84 +3 032.88 [22]
Cruzeiro Brazil 4 January 2022 19 March 2023 63 34 13 16 94 55 +39 053.97 [23]
Valladolid Spain 4 April 2023 30 November 2024 71 28 15 28 84 92 −8 039.44 [24]
Total 312 134 84 94 425 348 +77 042.95 —

Honours

Manager

Torque

Cruzeiro

References

  1. ^ Les metió el Pezzo-lano (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Pezzolano: "Esperaba esto desde hace varios días"(in Spanish)
  3. ^ MALLORCA VS. TENERIFE 4 - 0
  4. ^ 三乌拉圭外援将与绿城汇合 李玮峰加盟尚有希望(in Chinese)
  5. ^ HANGZHOU VS. SHANGHAI SHENXIN 2 - 0
  6. ^ Paulo Pezzolano presentado ante sus compañeros del Necaxa(in Spanish)
  7. ^ LIVERPOOL VS. UNIVERSITARIO 3 - 0
  8. ^ a b "Paulo Pezzolano se despide este sábado y pasará a ser el DT de Torque" [Paulo Pezzolano bids farewell this Saturday and will become the manager of Torque] (in Spanish). El Ascenso. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Pezzolano no sigue en Torque" [Pezzolano does not continue at Torque] (in Spanish). El Observador. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Paulo Pezzolano aceptó la oferta y será el entrenador de Liverpool en la temporada 2018" [Pezzolano accepted the offer and will be the manager of Liverpool in the 2018 season] (in Spanish). Fútbol.uy. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Paulo Pezzolano dejó de ser el técnico negriazul" [Paulo Pezzolano left as black-and-blue manager] (in Spanish). La Diaria. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Paulo Pezzolano, nuevo técnico del Pachuca en lugar de Palermo" [Paulo Pezzolano, new manager of Pachuca in the place of Palermo] (in Spanish). ESPN. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Paulo Pezzolano deja de ser director técnico de Pachuca" [Paulo Pezzolano leaves as manager of Pachuca] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Cruzeiro anuncia Paulo Pezzolano como novo técnico para 2022; uruguaio já está em BH" [Cruzeiro announce Paulo Pezzolano as new head coach for 2022; Uruguayan is already in BH] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Cruzeiro conquista Série B sem entrar em campo e se torna campeão mais antecipado da história" [Cruzeiro win the Série B without entering the field and become the most anticipated champion of history] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Com forte contribuição no processo de reconstrução do Cruzeiro, Paulo Pezzolano encerra passagem no Clube" [With a key contribution to Cruzeiro's reconstruction process, Paulo Pezzolano ends stint at the Club] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Cruzeiro EC. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Paulo Pezzolano, nuevo entrenador del Real Valladolid" [Paulo Pezzolano, new manager of Real Valladolid] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  18. ^ "La fiesta del ascenso... ¡al insólito grito de "Pezzolano dimisión" entonado por el propio técnico!" [The promotion party... with the unusual cry of "Pezzolano, resign" chanted by the coach himself!] (in Spanish). Marca. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Pezzolano no seguirá en el Real Valladolid" [Pezzolano will not continue at Real Valladolid]. Real Valladolid (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Montevideo City Torque: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Liverpool Montevideo: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  22. ^ "CF Pachuca: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  23. ^ "Cruzeiro EC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  24. ^ "Matches Paulo Pezzolano, 2022–23 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
    "Matches Paulo Pezzolano, 2023–24 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
    "Matches Paulo Pezzolano, 2024–25 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 6 December 2024.