Four talents raised in Trigoria triumph with the Under 19 team at the European Championship. Mastrantonio and Missori also shine.
Giacomo Faticanti, the tireless one, never considers taking a break. When Roma calls, his heart beats stronger, and his legs keep moving, ignoring the lactic acid that grips them. What will Giacomo do after playing a leading role in the U-20 World Cup (silver) and leading his teammates to gold in the U-19 European Championship? “Now I will enjoy my well-deserved vacation, but if Mourinho calls me for the preseason, I will give up everything and join him.” Yesterday, the captain of the U-19 team brought the trophy they won on Sunday in Malta to the Italian Football Federation, holding it tight in his hands and being the first to descend both the airplane and the bus steps, as tradition dictates. Among the group that rewrote history by winning the title 20 years after the last time (with Chiellini and Pazzini on the field in 2003…), there was much talk in Roman dialect. With a quartet of Roman aces, all playing prominent roles in their positions: goalkeeper Davide Mastrantonio, who grew up in Trigoria before gaining experience in Serie C with Triestina (10 appearances); full-back Missori, who was transferred to Sassuolo a few weeks ago along with Volpato after a long journey in the Giallorossi ranks; and then there are Giacomo Faticanti and Niccolò Pisilli, the two midfield gems, the pivot in front of the defense and the attacking midfielder. Four stars from the extraordinary 2004 generation, guided last season by Federico Guidi until the playoffs and the conquest of the Coppa Italia.
Champion Romanisti
“Winning a European Championship as a captain is something unique, it stays with you for a lifetime,” Faticanti said yesterday, speaking on behalf of the Italian team after the meeting with FIGC President Gravina, CONI President Malagò, and Sports Minister Abodi. Faticanti has the right charisma and has always said he wants to follow in the footsteps of Daniele De Rossi; not surprisingly, he has taken his number (16) both in the national team and at Roma. Now the club faces a decision about his future: after two seasons as a starter in the Primavera team, the midfielder’s journey seems to have come to an end, and he appears ready for senior football. Mourinho might keep him in the first team, but he would play less with Matic, Cristante, Aouar, Pellegrini, Bove, and maybe even a new signing. He could go out on loan and then return. “Mourinho is special; he instills a winning mentality, and I have learned so much from the first-team champions,” he said. Faticanti is a 2004 class player, like Pisilli. Niccolò is also a candidate to join the preseason: fresh from the double international competition and his high school exams, he might be “fresher” than his teammate Faticanti, who has been dealing with a muscle problem for weeks. The situation regarding their futures is different as well: after scoring 11 goals and providing 7 assists, the Primavera team seems too small for Pisilli, but he only spent one season (not two like his friend) in the top youth team. While Missori, the U-19 team’s vice-captain, has definitively bid farewell to the Capital, aiming to secure a starting spot at ambitious Sassuolo, Mastrantonio is still under contract with Friedkin’s club, but with Rui Patricio and Svilar, there would be no room even for a few minutes. Another loan appears to be the most suitable solution for him.
