‘Inzaghi wanted me at AC Milan’, Italian rising star goalkeeper tells CM
Let’s start with the 2nd of December 2015: your debut with senior Udinese squad in Coppa Italia
“It was thrilling. I’ve went through each youth team of the club I support since I am a child. It was a dream came true.”
What did you learn from your trainings with senior Italy national team?
“I was lucky. I lived an unexpected experience. That definitely felpe my growth, I trained with the best Italian players and the best goalkeeper too. Conte is like a hammer, he asks a lot to his players, but results speak for him.”
The U-17 European Championship had a bitter end...
“Another stunning experience, we faced the best teams of Europe. We’d been working together for three years and that made the difference. It’s a pity we lost the final but we are proud for what we achieved. No one would expect that.”
The loan spell at Spal is your first experience far from Udinese. How do you feel?
“Environment is clearly very different. All players are Italians, we are a minority at Udinese. I was welcomed very warmly even if I did not do the pre-season training camp with them. Ferrara is a magnificent and quiet town. Our target is to survive to the Serie B campaign. My personal objective is to play and prove my qualities.”
You are a very close friend of Scuffet who played the Serie B campaign with Como last term, what did he tell you?
“That Serie B is a tough league. There will be good times and there will be hard time. He has told me to be always concentrated.”
You have faced Milan Primavera time many times. You also eliminated Inzaghi’s squad in the tournament’s final eight stage. Have they ever contacted you?
“They gave me a call when Inzaghi was in charge, but I opted to stay at Udinese. We eliminated them from the championship later on. It was a winning choice.”
Donnarumma, Scuffet, Meret and Plizzari: Italy’s school of goalkeepers is florid again.
“I’ve met Donnarumma when we were both in the squad of U-21 Italy national team. He is a stunning goalkeeper. He is born in 1999, but he’s already a regular starter with AC Milan. Watching him playing is impressive.”
