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The other Italian: The midfielder overshadowed by Chelsea boss during his West Brom spell

That is current Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca - who had a memorable spell at Albion back in the 1990s before going on to join Juventus.

If you think of modern day Italians to feature for Albion then you look at the current squad and Gianluca Frabotta, who arrived at the club in the summer. You could argue Mo Diomande is a current Italian Baggie, however he has only been named in a matchday squad once.

But there is a third Italian to feature for Albion, probably not as well known as the 90s midfielder Maresca but someone who was at the club at the same time as him.

Prior to Maresca arriving at Albion, the club had already taken advantage of the growing number of foreign players coming to the club and the bosman ruling that was sweeping football.

Midfielder Mario Bortolazzi came onto the club's radar and arrived under Dennis Smith in the summer of 1998 after being released by Verona.

A Serie A winner with AC Milan, Bortolazzi was a midfielder coming to the end of his playing career as he came to Albion in his mid 30s.

But he had some pedigree, and was some signing for the club at the time.

![Ex-Albion midfielder Mario Bortolazzi](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcontentstore.nationalworld.com%2Fimages%2Fb1deffe6-0fb0-48d8-8071-a449f8dc0a32.jpg?auth=69be1523688109d99cd0ff992c65970b6d34d8be5880ea2750f39dc28617bbd8&width=300)

Ex-Albion midfielder Mario Bortolazzi

His clubs included Mantova, Fiorentina, Milan, Palma, Verona, Atalanta and then Genoa, where he spent eight seasons and made over 250 appearances.

It was exotic for Albion. Not one, but two Italian's featuring in their side in the 1990s when Albion teams of that decade were, lets just say less than memorable.

As was the way for Albion in the 1990s, it was a pretty average campaign as they finished 12th in the old Nationwide First Division.

For Bortolazzi it was a pretty uneventful year in Albion colours.

He would play 35 times and score twice, so he became a mainstay in the side at times but he was largely overshadowed by his Italian counterpart who was at the other end of his career.

After just one year he made a move back to Italy, whereas Maresca stayed but six months later was moved on to Juve in a multi-million pound deal.

The experienced Italian continued his playing career in his home country with Livorno, Calceo Lecco, before retiring back at Livorno in 2002/03.

After hanging up his boots, the midfielder then moved into coaching with the club be finished his career at.

He then moved on to work with the Italian national team and Serie A side Napoli, before joining Parma in 2012.

Bortolazzi might not have lit the world up at Albion - but his name and spell his still etched into the memory of many Albion fans.

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