Italian media react to Nicolò Zaniolo’s hat-trick against Bodo/Glimt: ‘A new history begins…’
The Italy starlet was surprisingly included in the starting XI against the Norwegians in the second leg of the Conference League quarter-finals yesterday. José Mourinho admitted at the end of the match that he had managed to keep secret that the 22-year-old would start the game and his move proved to be decisive.
Zaniolo scored his first hat-trick as a professional footballer last night, helping Roma qualify for the semi-finals. Of course, there wasn’t a better fit for the Man Of The Match award at the Stadio Olimpico.
La Gazzetta rated Zaniolo 8.5/10, while Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport gave him 9. The main Italian sports papers said the same thing about Zaniolo’s hat-trick.
‘He is here to stay,’ wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport, while Il Corriere dello Sport highlighted how his three goals could be the ‘beginning of a new story.’
Zaniolo had started his last game almost a month ago, in a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico against Vitesse in the Conference League on March 17.
Due to a hip injury, he had missed the first leg against Bodo/Glimt last week and a Serie A match against Sampdoria. Zaniolo had also remained on the bench in the derby against Lazio before the break. There were rumours that his rapport with José Mourinho was no longer idyllic, but the coach denied such claims and Zaniolo proved on the pitch that he and the Special One are on the same page.
I hope this gives him the confidence to score more goals now. Forza Nicolò.
Had he not been had those Injuries who knows where he would be at right now and maybe Italy would be at World Cup
Zaniolo, Chiesa, and Spinazola could have made the difference to Italy, so bad and unlucky
When Bodo/Glimt suddenly becomes a giant in world of football for Italian teams! A historic day indeed!!!
Absolutely Nothing against Roma nor Zaniolo, even quiet happy for him too, but this Italian media reaction shows how desperate Italian football is in European stage!
@I miss Juve It’s no different to how the English media react to English players scoring in Europe or for the national team against San Marino and Andorra. I remember during Kane’s early days, he scored a hat-trick against Asteras Tripoli in the Europa league. The English media did not stop singing his praises for days. Maybe the Italian media and Serie A should take a lesson from the English about hyping young Italian players, clubs and the league. Maybe it will draw more financial interest to the league and make young Italian players more attractive to better opportunities at bigger clubs.
Italy is desperate for a hero. I’ve always liked Zaniolo and I hope he does become a world beater.
Inter, rather than choosing to develop Zaniolo, they let him go for a 30yr old player who was already on the decline. What’s worse is they also gave Roma 24m for this deal. This is what is fundamentally wrong with Italian football. I really hope Zaniolo. Clubs show no faith in young Italian players and are quick to sell them or turn them into makeweights in deals for average foreign players.
It’s April and he scores his first goals of the season.