Mateo Pablo Musacchio is an Argentine footballer who plays as a central defender for Italian club A.C. Milan. He spent most of his professional career with Villarreal after signing as a 19-year-old, going on to appear in 249 competitive matches and score seven goals during seven La Liga seasons. In 2017, he joined Milan.
Club career
River Plate
A product of Club Atlético River Plate's youth system, Musacchio was born in Rosario, Santa Fe, and he made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old during the 2006–07 season, making four appearances. He was part of the squad that won the Clausura in the following year, but did not feature in any games.
Villarreal
In August 2009, Musacchio moved to Villarreal CF in Spain, initially being assigned to the B-team in the second division. He made his official debut on 5 September in a 1–3 loss at Córdoba CF as the reserves overachieved in their first season ever in that tier, eventually finishing seventh. On 13 February 2010, shortly after ceasing to be a non-EU player, Musacchio made his La Liga debut by playing the last 15 minutes in a 2–1 home win against Athletic Bilbao. From that moment onwards he was permanently promoted to Villarreal's first team, successively surpassing more experienced Iván Marcano and Gonzalo Rodríguez – the latter his compatriot – in the defensive pecking order. During his spell at the Estadio El Madrigal, Musacchio dealt with several injury problems.
Milan
On 30 May 2017, eight days after passing his medical, Musacchio moved to Italian club A.C. Milan after signing a four-year contract. He contributed with 15 Serie A appearances in his first season, with the subsequent qualification to the UEFA Europa League after a sixth-place finish. Following Leonardo Bonucci's departure to Juventus F.C. and Mattia Caldara's two long-term injuries, Musacchio became a starter, oftentimes partnering up with the team's newly-appointed captain Alessio Romagnoli.
International career
Musacchio was first called by the Argentina national team in May 2011, as manager Sergio Batista only selected players under 25 for friendlies with Nigeria and Poland. He made his debut against the former on 2 June, in a 1–4 loss. In 2017, Gianni De Biasi asked Musacchio if he would be interested in playing for Albania of which he was the manager, but the player declined as he wished to represent his country of birth.
Style of play
A press release of A.C. Milan described Musacchio as a "very physical centre back" with character and agility. Additionally, the article highlighted his marking and blocking abilities, and that he liked to start moves and play short passes."
Personal life
Musacchio's paternal grandparents were of Albanian origin, being Arbëreshë from Portocannone in lower Molise region, Italy. The surname Musacchio originated from the Muzaka region in south-central Albania, and was widely used in the Albanian community in Italy.
