Former Italy and Juventus star Gianpietro Marchetti dies at 78

Gianpietro Marchetti, former Atalanta, Juventus and Italy player, has died aged 78.

According to reports from Goal.com and OneFootball, he passed away on November 5, 2026.

Marchetti was a versatile defender and midfielder who operated at left-back, center-back and in defensive midfield.

He won two Serie A titles with Juventus during his playing career.

He also made five appearances for the Italian national team.

After his playing days ended, Marchetti began working as a club official at Triestina in the 1980s.

In 1988, he joined Leonardo Garilli's Piacenza and helped assemble a side that climbed from Serie C to Serie A.

Under Gigi Cagni as head coach, Piacenza reached Serie A for the first time in the mid-1990s.

Walter Novellino later took over in the dugout, but Marchetti remained at Piacenza until 2001.

During his time as sporting director, he oversaw four promotions — one to Serie B and three to Serie A.

He also guided the club through six seasons in the top flight of Italian football.

Marchetti played for Atalanta earlier in his career before moving to Juventus.

He was known for his tactical intelligence and ability to read the game from multiple positions on the field.

His work at Piacenza is often cited as one of the most successful sporting director tenures in Italian football history.

The club's rise from the third division to the top tier under his watch remains a benchmark for smart squad building on a limited budget.