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.