A product of AC Milan’s youth system, he spent five and a half seasons as a key figure at Prato, making 126 appearances and scoring seven goals. There was also a brief but notable spell at Empoli, where he reached Serie A and made two appearances. He later joined Sanremese, where he met Antonio Soda, who brought him to Spezia and turned him into a valuable utility player.
He could operate in defense or, more naturally, in midfield. He made his league debut in Pro Patria–Spezia (1–1) on August 28, 2005, starting at full-back. He also showed a knack for scoring, netting his first goal against Pavia—the third in a 3–0 win, with a powerful strike. A week later, he proved decisive again, scoring the goal that earned Spezia a 2–2 draw at Lumezzane.
Retained for Spezia’s Serie B campaign, he improved his numbers. He scored the goal that made it 3–3 against Piacenza, the opener in a 1–0 win at Crotone (with Guzmán later adding the second), but above all, he delivered a moment that entered club folklore.
On June 10, 2007, Spezia faced Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. They had to win to secure a place in the playouts. With barely a minute left—and despite having been injured for several minutes—he exchanged passes with Guidetti and scored the decisive goal for a stunning 3–2 victory.
Commentating live on Sky, lead broadcaster Fabio Caressa sent Spezia fans into raptures: “Padoin, Padoin, Padoin, on one leg, in the 90th minute!” Spezia were in paradise. His number 15 entered the pantheon of Spezia history.
He was confirmed for the following season, memorable the goal in Cesena that made it 1–1 in the 89th minute, but left the club only after Spezia went bankrupt. Sold to Reggiana, yet still tied to Spezia through business interests, he eventually returned to the Picco when Spezia were in the Second Division.
He earned another promotion, scoring twice (against Carpenedolo and Mezzocorona), and remained one of the most reliable players in the squad. But in the summer of 2011, after a season highlighted by a fine headed goal against Sorrento, his contract was not renewed. He left the white shirt behind and signed for Lecco, then moved to Foligno during the winter transfer window.