Victor Ibarbo’s return to Italian football has taken an unexpected turn, carrying the former Cagliari and Roma forward from a brief spell with Pontedera in Serie D to ASD Calcio San Cataldo, the Eccellenza side from Bella in the province of Potenza. For a club from Basilicata with promotion hopes, his arrival gives a local campaign an unusually familiar Serie A name.
Key takeaways
- Ibarbo has signed for ASD Calcio San Cataldo after spending only three weeks at Pontedera.
- San Cataldo compete in the single-group Basilicata Eccellenza championship.
- The 36-year-old Colombian made more than 100 appearances in Serie A during spells with Cagliari and Roma.
- President Canio Carlucci and the club’s directors appointed experienced coach Domenico Giacomarro during the summer.
- The signing reflects San Cataldo’s intention to challenge for a step up in category.
A Serie A past arrives in Basilicata
Ibarbo’s name belongs to a distinct period of the Italian top flight. At Cagliari, and later at Roma, the Colombian attacker brought pace and physical power that made him a recognisable figure across Serie A. His time in Italy also made him particularly memorable to a generation of FIFA players, for whom his virtual card became a popular option.
His career subsequently travelled well beyond the peninsula, including spells with Watford in England, Panathinaikos in Greece and Sagan Tosu in Japan, followed by a return to Colombia. The next Italian chapter appeared to begin in Tuscany when Pontedera presented him as a Serie D signing in mid-September 2026.
That arrangement lasted just three weeks. Instead of remaining at that level, Ibarbo has now joined San Cataldo, taking on a new challenge in one of Italy’s regional championships rather than pursuing a return to a higher-profile setting.
San Cataldo build for a promotion push
The club’s decision is not being treated simply as a gesture towards Ibarbo’s past. San Cataldo have set their sights on moving upward, and the summer appointment of Giacomarro was an early indication of that direction.
Giacomarro brings experience from Serie C and Serie D, having worked with clubs including Grosseto, Pistoiese, Potenza and Turris. Together with Carlucci and the board, he now has an international veteran added to a project intended to give the Rossoblu a stronger footing in the Basilicata Eccellenza season.
Ibarbo will not be asked to recreate the player seen in Serie A in his twenties. At 36, his decision instead places experience and continued competitive desire at the heart of the story. In Bella, the coming Sunday fixtures will carry added attention: a provincial championship now has a former Serie A forward among its protagonists.
