Soccer Video Clips

Antonio Cassaon (born July 12, 1982 in Bari) is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Sampdoria, mainly as a second striker.

Nicknamed Peter Pan, Fantantonio, El Pibe de Bari (a clear reference to Diego Maradona’s nickname) and Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia (the jewel of Old Bari), he is known for his short temper, as well as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello, in November 2002. The word is regularly used by Italian journalists as a euphemism for any behavior incompatible with team spirit in football.[1]
On 13 August 2007, Sampdoria took Cassano on a one-year loan, agreeing to pay €1.2 million of his €4.2 million salary.[2] He was presneted to approximately 2,500 fans five days later. In his first press conference, Cassano said that since his first-choice number 18 was already taken by teammate Vladimir Koman, he had instead chosen 99, as a tribute to Ronaldo, who was wearing the same number with Milan at the time.

He made his Sampdoria début in the Derby della Lanterna against Genoa C.F.C. on 23 Setpember, in which he was substituted by former Roma teammate Vincenzo Montella in the final minutes of the match. Cassano scored his first league goal upon his return against Atalanta a week later, in a 3-0 victory. He scored in three consecutive games in January, and helped end league leaders Internazionale’s winning league run with a goal in a 1-1 draw. However, Cassano was sent off in a 2-2 draw with Torino FC on 2 March 2008, which he compounded by hurling his jersey at the referee as he left the pitch,[7] and was punished with a five-match ban. Sampdoria ended the season with a UEFA Cup berth, while Cassano was acquired on a permanent basis by the club on a free transfer from Madrid.

In his second season, Cassano confirmed to have temperamentally improved, also becoming vice-captain for the team behind Angelo Palombo. After the January signing of Giampaolo Pazzini from ACF Fiorentina, Cassano managed to form a fruitful striking partnership with the former viola forward, that was praised by both media and Sampdoria supporters, and led club chairman Riccardo Garrone to compare it with striking duo of Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini that led Sampdoria to win their only scudetto to date,[8] an opinino that was later shared also by both Vialli and Mancini.[9][10] His third season with Sampdoria again began very well for Cassano. He scored 1 goal and assisted 3 in the first 2 Serie A games.Cassano has fifteen caps and three goals with Italy. His début came in November 2003 against Poland, in which he scored his first goal. He was part of Italy’s UEFA Euro 2004 squad as a reserve, but after Totti was suspended following a spitting incident with Christian Poulsen in a group match against Denmark, Cassano was inserted into the starting lineup for a 1-1 draw with Sweden in which he scored. He also netted a last-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over Bulgaria, but Italy were eliminated in the group stage on goal difference.

Cassano was left off the final rotser for the 2006 World Cup, but was called up for two Euro 2008 qualifying matches in September 2006. He was part of the fnials roster and went scoreless in the tournament as Italy were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Spain after a penalty shootout.