“He seems like a player built on the PlayStation,” Cagliari head coach Fabio Pisacane informed Sky in Italy lately. “Ninety-nine per cent acceleration and so on. He is handsome even when he runs. He looks like a panther, like a leopard.” That man is Marco Palestra.
Cesc Fabregas is an admirer. The nice Arrigo Sacchi pushed for his call-up for the Italy nationwide crew. Gennaro Gattuso duly obliged. Luciano Spalletti did as soon as get his title mistaken however he had nonetheless heard all about this uncommon expertise who was rising at Atalanta.
That title, Palestra, means health club in Italian so maybe it must be no shock that the 21-year-old vast participant has been recognized to deliver the athleticism that Xabi Alonso desires to see on the flanks at Chelsea. However there may be way more to the signing than that.
Palestra is flexible, able to taking part in on both flank, as a full-back or as a wing-back. He can cross with each ft and beat an opponent too. Solely Juventus favorite Kenan Yildiz accomplished extra take-ons than the younger Italy worldwide in Serie A final season.
After having fun with a style of the Champions League below Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta, Palestra’s mortgage transfer to Cagliari was simply what was required. It isn’t all the time simple for younger gamers to get common minutes in Italy however Palestra has simply performed and performed.
“He pulled the cart, as they say, for seven or eight months, all in one breath,” defined Pisacane. “National team, everything.” He began on the opening weekend. “In front of 70,000 people in Naples.” And confirmed what he may do subsequent trip towards Parma.
“He did that famous slalom run, which started from the back, and then allowed us to score to make it 2-0.” There adopted an help for Andrea Belotti in beating Lecce within the subsequent recreation and Palestra by no means appeared again. “From there on in, Marco played all the way.”
He was on the final line of defence when establishing that purpose at Lecce and even began within the entrance three on events at Cagliari. However his most frequent place was as proper wing-back in Pisacane’s 3-5-2, a formation additionally utilized by Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.
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Sky Sports activities pundit Jay Bothroyd provides his tackle Palestra
Palestra is younger sufficient and versatile sufficient for use in numerous programs, nevertheless. Francesco Modesto, his coach in Atalanta’s growth crew for a season in Serie C, factors to his potential to run with the ball with each ft as a top quality that units him aside.
“He has a dribbling ability few have. A right-footed player carrying the ball with his left means you never understand which way he can go. He knows how to cross with both his left and right.” Palestra ranked ninth in Serie A for profitable crosses from open play.
Palestra’s crossing was a characteristic of his recreation throughout his mortgage at Cagliari
He additionally ranked third for many corners received, additional proof of his potential to get ahead. That shall be a vital a part of his position at Chelsea, in a again 4 or a again 5. Cagliari had been a bottom-half crew when it comes to factors and possession. Will probably be an adjustment.
However the expectation amongst those that have labored with him is that he’s ideally suited to creating that adjustment. Modesto is on report as having steered the Premier League may very well be a superb match for this skills. “Because of the physicality that he has.”
It was not all the time a energy – Palestra himself claims he was as soon as sluggish – however a progress spurt in his mid-teens reworked his bodily capability. There was curiosity from Bournemouth final summer time as a result of they believed he would match their high-tempo recreation.
Palestra’s contact map for Atalanta within the Champions League in 2024/25
The scouts from round Europe who had been common guests to Sardinia over the previous yr may have famous a behavior of standing out towards stronger opposition. Even at Atalanta, he got here on towards Actual Madrid within the Tremendous Cup and earned a Champions League begin.
He was one of many few to emerge with credit score as Italy had been eradicated from the World Cup in that play-off defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in March and is thought to be the way forward for the nationwide crew. His dribbling potential alone seen as proof of what Italian soccer is lacking.
There’s reward for his mentality too, a robust assist community. “Qualities not only technical and tactical, but a boy who has a good head on his shoulders, has a family that helps him a lot, serious people.” And the conviction that there’s extra to return.
“Marco, in my opinion, has not shown all his potential yet,” Pisacane informed Sky. “Marco has shown, I don’t want to exaggerate, 60 to 70 per cent.” If Alonso and Chelsea may also help to unlock the remaining then Palestra, this PlayStation footballer, may very well be the actual deal.
