Nicolas Giani: Former Inter Milan defender dies aged 39 as former clubs pay tribute | OneFootball

Former Inter Milan defender Nicolas Giani has died aged 39, with tributes from across Italian football.

Inter said in a statement that it offered its deepest condolences and sent sympathies to his family.

Giani came through Inter’s youth system from 1998 to 2005 and never made a senior appearance. He spent the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons on loan before departing permanently. He was born in Como.

He later played for Cremonese, Vicenza and Spezia. Giani is best remembered for his spell at SPAL, where he captained the side and made more than 100 appearances after joining in 2014.

He helped SPAL win promotion from Serie C in 2015/16, then led them to the Serie B title the following year. That secured a second straight promotion and took the club into Serie A for the first time in 49 years.

Giani also represented Italy at youth level but did not win a senior cap. He retired in 2022, reportedly after his diagnosis with an incurable illness.

Source: Sunderland Echo