Alessandro Romano is officially all in with Italy, making it clear he “wanted to play for Italy with all my heart” after switching his international allegiance from Switzerland. This wasn’t some easy decision, but a heartfelt one in favor of the Azzurri, and he’s already seeing the kind of “very strong team going forward” he signed up for, especially after their big 3-1 win over Turkiye this past Monday.
From Debut Criticism to Crucial Comeback
Man, talk about a rocky start. Romano got slammed after his Italy debut, a 2-0 home loss to Belgium in the opening Nations League match. That’s a brutal first game, especially with all the pressure of changing allegiances from Switzerland where he played at the U-21 level. He was one of the players who caught the most heat. But even with that rough opener, Romano told Sky Sport Italia, “I don’t think we got the first game so badly wrong, obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted, but with so many new players, new coach, it was inevitable we’d need time to get to know each other.” That’s a level-headed take, right? And the most important thing? “The important thing is that we reacted well after that,” he said.
Coach’s Backing Pays Off for Romano and Italy
That reaction he talked about? It showed up huge. After the Belgium defeat, Italy bounced back with a 4-1 win on Turkish soil and then pulled off an impressive 1-1 draw away to France. And then, this past Monday, Romano was back in the starting XI against Turkiye, which they absolutely owned with a 3-1 victory! He was one of two Cagliari players starting, alongside Daniel Maldini, and he even shifted from playmaker to a mezz’ala role during the game. Romano credited his support system, saying, “I am fortunate to have a strong and supportive staff and teammates who helped me. The coach stood by my side over these days, told me to relax, and I think I managed it today.” That kind of belief from the coaching staff and teammates? That’s everything, especially when you’re facing that much scrutiny after a debut.
Romano is convinced this Italian squad can be “a very strong team going forward,” and after seeing how they’ve responded to adversity and how quickly he’s bounced back personally, it’s hard to argue with him. The Azzurri are clearly finding their rhythm, and with Romano’s heart fully committed, it’s going to be exciting to watch where they go next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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