Coming from the renowned youth system of Atalanta, Bortoluzzi made his senior debut in the Serie A league on 17 March 1985, in a game against Napoli.
He then remarkably played five seasons at Treviso as key player and also team captain, before retiring in 2003 after a short stint with amateurs Conegliano.
In January 2004, Francesco Guidolin appointed Bortoluzzi as his assistant coach at Palermo, with whom he oversaw a historic promotion to Serie A over 30 years after the Rosanero's last top flight appearance.
He left Palermo on the summer of 2005, following Guidolin's departure, to become youth coach of his former playing club Treviso, who were just promoted to the top flight for their very first time.
He was successively appointed new head coach in February 2006, following Alberto Cavasin's dismissal and with just 14 points in the league, failing to save the team from relegation.