Sampdoria coach Claudio Ranieri calmed down the pressure on Nicolò Zaniolo by warning the Roma starlet “is not the heir” to Francesco Totti.
After two goals for Italy during the 9-1 win over Armenia on Monday, Zaniolo became the youngest Roma player to score for Italy.
It has prompted the former coach to calm down the expectations surrounding the Azzurri talent.
“Zaniolo is not heir to Totti,” Ranieri told the Corriere dello Sport at a meeting between the coaches and referees in Rome yesterday.
Sampdoria coach Claudio Ranieri calmed down the pressure on Nicolò Zaniolo by warning the Roma starlet “is not the heir” to Francesco Totti.
After two goals for Italy during the 9-1 win over Armenia on Monday, Zaniolo became the youngest Roma player to score for Italy.
It has prompted the former coach to calm down the expectations surrounding the Azzurri talent.
“Zaniolo is not heir to Totti,” Ranieri told the Corriere dello Sport at a meeting between the coaches and referees in Rome yesterday.
“But he is a great player and might grow into a champion.”
The 20-year-old broke through at Roma last year, when he played 27 times in Serie A and scored four times for the Giallorossi.
This season he is already on three goals after 12 games and shows signs on improvement for both club and country.
“I was waiting for him last year,” the former Giallorossi coach added. “But I had him in the worst period. He has got this natural talent and is improving game after game.”
Roma are facing Brescia this weekend and will have to bounce back from the loss to Parma before the international break.