Tomazo Berni, a 37-year-old veteran who has predominantly played as a “second violin” throughout his career in various clubs including Lazio, Sampdoria, and Torino, holds an impressive record in Serie A.
However, his achievement is not related to clean sheets or long stretches of time without conceding goals. It’s something even more remarkable.
Since joining Inter Milan in 2014 from Torino, Berni has yet to make an appearance for the club. Surprisingly, he has managed to receive two red cards during his time there.
Adding to the intrigue, Berni had a stint training at Wimbledon from 2001 to 2003 and currently earns a modest salary, especially for a footballer, of £180,000 per year.
During Inter’s recent match against Parma in the 28th round of the Italian championship, Berni found himself on the substitute bench. Frustration got the better of him when his team fell behind 0-1, leading him to express his dissatisfaction with the referee’s decisions.
In response, the referee promptly sent Berni off the field, marking his second red card while playing for Inter. Both dismissals occurred in 2020.
Interestingly, earlier this year, Berni sarcastically applauded a red card shown to his teammate Lautaro Martinez in a match against Cagliari before experiencing a similar fate himself.
After playing for Fiorentina and Inter at the youth level, Berni made his way to England in 2001.
At the age of 18, he joined Wimbledon, which was then competing in the First Division, now known as the Championship. However, Berni served as a backup to Kelvin Davis and did not have the opportunity to play.
In 2003, he was released from Wimbledon and subsequently joined Ternana in Serie B. It was during his time there that Berni enjoyed the most appearances in his career, playing in 87 matches across three seasons before joining Lazio.
Unlike many of his teammates, Berni does not earn a substantial salary as a footballer.
Reports indicate that he earns approximately €197,000 per year or €3,800 per week. In contrast, players like Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen receive €300,000 and €186,000 per week, respectively.
Nevertheless, this does not hinder Berni from enjoying his life off the field.
