ISERLOHN. «Wonderful emotions, never felt before. I’m very happy, I can’t wait to hug my family and hear from all my friends.” Riccardo Calafiori’s debut in the blue shirt is contained in a few simple words, in the lightness of those who are aware of their margins and limits, which clearly need to be improved during the current European Championship. The debutant’s ball could have been shaken by that mistake by Dimarco which involved the entire defence, but it took the 22-year-old Bologna centre-back very little to reverse the inertia, between personality and desire to make an impact.
A beautiful smile in favor of cameras and microphones in the mixed zone after a display of character, that blue attitude totally reversed compared to what we have seen in the past: «Like the rest of the team, I didn’t dwell too much on that goal. We were sure that the match wouldn’t end like this: there was plenty of time to play and so we did.” One more reason to believe in Luciano Spalletti’s sympathies towards a player who fully embodies the contemporary central player, capable of marking the opponent in an asphyxiating manner (for more information contact Broja) but at the same time capable of building play from the start from the three-man line, a Spalletti alternative to the usual 4-2-3-1.
The confirmation came from Calafiori himself: «We are quite flexible and we can change during the course of the match, this is what the coach wants». In recent days the national team coach involved him right from the start by going to work with the all-left-handed pair, in order to provide a double alternative in the construction phase. Also eye-catching were the mid-field incursions when Albania decided to move back too much: head held high, ball and chain, vision of the game, scholastic but still effective passes. So the first one was good? Absolutely yes. Clearly there is room for improvement, there have been some mistakes and they must be corrected as quickly as possible. But the path we have taken is the right one to make a difference. And Juve have also noticed his strength and flexibility as they already have an agreement with the defender, but Bologna must be convinced and repel any attack from Antonio Conte’s Napoli.
