Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello laughed off reports of interest from Liverpool and Milan, but revealed his faith in destiny.
The 22-year-old shot-stopper has been one of the most impressive in Serie A this season, attracting scouts from clubs in Italy and England.
“Will I go to Liverpool? Come on! It already feels like a huge achievement that I am first choice for Atalanta,” Sportiello told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
His career took a big turn thanks to what he calls ‘destiny.’
Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello laughed off reports of interest from Liverpool and Milan, but revealed his faith in destiny.
The 22-year-old shot-stopper has been one of the most impressive in Serie A this season, attracting scouts from clubs in Italy and England.
“Will I go to Liverpool? Come on! It already feels like a huge achievement that I am first choice for Atalanta,” Sportiello told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
His career took a big turn thanks to what he calls ‘destiny.’
“It is thanks to destiny that I met my partner and accepted a spell playing in Serie D, a League that really helped me to grow.
“I also thank that child that gave Andrea Consigli chickenpox in January 2014, meaning I could get my Serie A debut…”
Among his impressive moments, Sportiello parried a Gonzalo Higuain penalty in the final minutes of Atalanta’s 1-1 draw with Napoli.
“My legs moved by themselves. I wanted to throw myself to the right, but I went to the left. Every now and then I’m disorganised when I save too…
“I’ve always been pretty uncoordinated. The first time I was six years old and stood between two trees to try saving my cousin’s shots.
“My uncles said I should’ve gone into volleyball, which is a sport I really love, but by age seven I had signed up to a football school. I supported Milan, had Seba Rossi’s example in my mind and didn’t even get discouraged when I lost the first game 11-3 with mud up to my knees.
“At the end of the match at that level, they always stopped to take penalties and I saved four of them. It seemed to me enough to warrant continuing in football.”
Sportiello confessed to his fears, which are of “death, big dogs and fireworks. When I was seven I went to stroke a German Shepherd and it almost took my finger off, so I’ve been wary of dogs ever since.
“At the age of 17 I had to jump on a bus to escape a Doberman while the owner kept telling me there was nothing to worry about. Dogs sense fear and bite your hands, which I needed for my work.
“This is also why I fear fireworks, as you hear of people every New Year’s Eve who blow their hands off with fireworks.
“When it comes to football, I don’t feel fear. The night before my Serie A debut I had slept well too, but that might be because I only found out late that I’d play, so was tired from going out all week.”