Extra, supporting actor or leading actor? If he were part of a cast of a theatrical comedy, Gianluca Gaetano would certainly have covered all these roles. In Naples, he who is from Campania, positive emotions in one way (above all the conquest of the Scudetto with Luciano Spalletti on the bench) but negative in others (the poor use and the lot of competition in his role). In Cagliari, however, he landed in that happy island of Sardinia which finally allowed him to grow even among the greats.
Supporting character
The first season in blue for Gaetano was characterized by 12 official appearances in total, 1 goal and 1 assist. But the lot of competition in the midfield department available to Luciano Spalletti has precluded the path of growth and adaptation among the greats of the 23-year-old originally from Cimitile, so much so that in the year that delivered the third scudetto to Napoli in its history Gaetano never started, he took over 8 times but above all he remained on the bench on 25 occasions. The situation did not change much when the helm of the Italian champions team passed into the hands of Rudi Garcia. With the former coach of Lille and Roma, after being out in the first two matchdays, the Campania playmaker arrived well 4 consecutive benches which could have pushed him back even further within the hierarchies of the Neapolitan association. Then, however, it arrived long awaited chance. On the seventh day, Gaetano made his debut in this championship at Via del Mare against Lecce and his impact on the race was important. First the return to the goal he had been missing since May 21st and then a penalty awarded and converted by Politano for the final 4-0. Gaetano 2.0’s excellent first act in blue could have been that of redemption and instead the player’s status has not changed at all, with 8 substitutions and 6 benches in the next 14 games played by Napoli in the top division.
Collect, stop and return
However, the desire to play, to become a starter and become a protagonist in Serie A also made the difference and in the end it was Cagliari, already faced as a substitute on 16 December 2023, who insisted more on his profile and took him to the shadow of Unipol Domus in the January transfer window for the second part of the championship. The landing under the orders of Claudio Ranieri he represented for Gaetano an important turning point, both personal and technical. After the segment in the Olimpico’s 4-0 win against Roma, Gaetano took Cagliari on his shoulders, with 5 consecutive starts, with ever-increasing performances but above all with his first three goals in the rossoblù shirt, scored against Lazio, Udinese and Salernitana. And the match against the Granata Campania was one of totally opposite emotions for Gaetano. After the joy of the momentary doubling goal, the former Napoli player developed a problem with his adductors which blocked his ascent and prevented him from responding to the first call-up of his career with the Italian national team (here is the complete news) . From the stop against the Salernitana onwards, Cagliari’s number 70 conceded a slight bending in performances and use within the Cagliari board: from the forced absence against Monza to the two benches against Verona and Inter, in between the ownership against Atalanta. But it’s against Juventus that Gaetano managed to turn the light back on. Not only did Ranieri dust him off from the 1st minute but he built the rossoblù’s advanced unit around him, alternating him in different positions on the pitch so as not to give points of reference. And to crown the efforts of the previous weeks, even the return to goalthe fifth of his season, the fourth since he arrived at Cagliari.
You again?
The return as owner against the Juventus it was a first taste of the show to which Gaetano had begun to accustom the Cagliari fans all too well. Against the Genoahowever, there was an abrupt stop for the team which however did not compromise Cagliari’s progress much in the match fight for salvation. From a result point of view, given the final 3-0, the blow was hard to receive and absorb in the short term. If we then look at the performance of the individuals, more precisely that of Gaetano, we saw how the rossoblù number 70 was impalpable in the 90 minutes played at the Ferraris. Yet the former Napoli attacking midfielder was perhaps the only one to try to stir things up in an attack, the island one, which was not very dangerous in the parts of Martinez. This is also demonstrated by the numbers provided by Serie A League in his usual match report. Specifically, Gaetano was, among the twenty-two on the pitch in Genoa-Cagliari, among those who scored the highest number of passes on the opposing midfield (fifth at 9), first for both key steps And scoring opportunities (3). Genoa, however, is already a memory. “With Lecce, as we have been saying for a long time, it will be a match of incredible weight. They are almost safe, we are not there yet. We have to do our best against a very good team.”, were the words of Mister Ranieri post Genoa. And Gaetano, when he sees Lecce, goes wild. “You again”, sang the legendary and unforgettable Lucio Battisti. And for the second time in the season, the Campania playmaker will find himself facing the Salento team, where it all started, for make a difference once again.
Dream
The present has the red and blue colors of Cagliarithe immediate future has the blue one of Naples. But there is another blue that is present in the dreams of the Campania attacking midfielder, that of Italian national team. Gaetano came close to dressing her last March. The boy from Cimilene, however, has no intention of giving up. While waiting to know his future at club level, Gaetano’s primary objective remains above all that of finish the season with Cagliari in the best possible wayperhaps even conquering the stay in Serie A. Then the pitch will inevitably give way to waiting for the decisions that the coach will make Luciano Spalletti ahead of the European Championship. The dream of Cagliari’s current number 70 has very precise references: to take that slot as the last player in the department (of midfield) and leave with the Azzurri for Germany to defend the title won in 2021. The remaining Serie A theaters in which show off in this year there are few, but Gaetano wants to play a leading role to aspire to international stages.
Fabio Loi
