Alessio Dionisi tried to explain the reasons behind Andrea Pinamonti’s slow start to life with Sassuolo and the rumours that Barcelona are keen to make a January move for Maxime Lopez.
The 23-year-old Pinamonti joined the Neroverdi on a loan deal with a €20m obligation to buy clause attached from Inter in the summer, being the replacement for the departed Gianluca Scamacca. The Italian forward has not hit the ground running in Emilia-Romagna, scoring only once in his first seven appearances for the club.
Discussing Pinamonti’s start to life with Sassuolo in a press conference today, Dionisi looked to provide an explanation regarding his limited involvement in his first seven games.
“Andrea has expressed his opinion but for me he’s not the one who is functional to the game, it’s the team that has to put the players in a position to do well and Andrea is doing well.
“He is being systematically man-marked but he knows how to come out well, he is making the team play because few teams play with a front line in the 4-3-3.
“For me he is doing well, obviously goals are expected. We have to serve him more, we have to support him better, he just has to continue as I believe in him and in everyone.
“Gianluca had certain characteristics, Pinamonti has others, in some aspects they are similar and in others they are not.”
The Sassuolo coach then commented on the transfer market rumours linking Lopez with a move to Barcelona in the January transfer window.
“It would only be a source of pride for everyone. Maxime showed his qualities last year and I trust he can do even better this year, in mentality first and foremost, sometimes he is more aesthetic than effective, but he has important means because he knows how to play with the ball.
“He has readings of the game, he recognises the game, he must make an effort to put them in every game because he has more important qualities than he shows.”
The 24-year-old Lopez was linked with a move to Barcelona earlier in his career but ultimately stayed with Olympique Marseille, before joining Sassuolo in October 2020. He’s scored four goals and provided two assists in 74 appearances for the Neroverdi over the last two years.