Cornacchini initially played for Fano Fano between 1981 and 1987, and also had a spell on loan with Foligno during the 1985–86 season. After stints with Reggiana and Virescit Bergamo, he joined Piacenza in 1989, where he scored 36 goals in two seasons, finishing as the top scorer in Serie C1 on both occasions, and helping his team to win promotion during the 1990–91 season. His performances and prolific goalscoring attracted the attention of Serie A club Milan, by whom he was subsequently acquired in 1991; however, he often struggled to find space in the team's starting XI under manager Fabio Capello, due to the presence of established forwards such as Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit; he obtained only three league appearances, making his club and Serie A debut on 15 September 1991, in a 1–1 away draw against Juventus in Turin, as Milan finished the 1991–92 season as Serie A champions. The following season, Cornacchini returned to Serie C1, joining Perugia, where he scored 59 goals over three seasons, finishing as the top scorer of his division in the first two, and later helping his team achieve promotion to Serie B as the league's second-highest goalscorer, behind only Giovanni Pisano. He joined Bologna ahead of the 1995–96 season, although he was unable to replicate his performances at Perugia. Notwithstanding this, the following season, he was acquired by Vicenza manager Francesco Guidolin, where he won the 1996–97 Coppa Italia, contributing to his team's victory by scoring important goals in the competition, in particular against Genoa, and later against his former club Bologna in the semi-finals; he also started in the victorious two-legged final against Napoli. He made 18 Serie A appearances that season, and scored his only Serie A goal on 20 April 1997, in a 4–1 win over Perugia in Reggio Emilia. In total, he obtained 21 appearances in his two seasons in the Italian top flight. In 1997, Cornacchini joined Serie B sidePadova, but subsequently moved to fellow second division side Castel di Sangro in November of that year. In February, after only making seven appearances for the latter club, he joined Ternana in Serie C1, helping the club obtain promotion with three goals in 13 appearances under manager Luigi Delneri. After returning to Padova, now in Serie C1, he ended his career in the lower divisions of Italian football, with Gubbio, Fano, and finally Cagliese, retiring at the end of the 2002–03 season.
Style of play
A fast, agile, and diminutive forward, Cornacchini was known for his speed in tight spaces, his opportunism inside the penalty area, and his eye for goal; however, he was not particularly skilful from a technical standpoint. Despite his slender build and small stature of, he was also effective in the air, courtesy of his power and elevation. Known for his clinical finishing in front of goal, he was a highly prolific goalscorer in Serie C; however, he struggled to replicate similar goalscoring performances in Serie A.
Coaching career
Following his retirement, Cornacchini worked as a manager. On 22 September 2019, he was fired by Bari.
