Joe Hart's Serie A Adventure: Torino Journey Has Been Strange but Compelling
Mar 29, 2017
ROME, ITALY - MARCH 13: Joe Hart of FC Torino warms up ahead of the Serie A match between SS Lazio and FC Torino at Stadio Olimpico on March 13, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images)
It usually doesn't take long. After any surprising transfer—even those that supposedly "rock football to its very core"—the passage of time sees everything eventually become normal once again.
Seeing images of Michael Owen in a Manchester United shirt or Luis Figo representing Real Madrid somehow stops being jarring, even to supporters of the clubs who idolised those players before they joined a bitter rival.
Yet even now, some seven months after he first joined them, seeing Joe Hart represent Serie A side Torino remains just as bizarre an experience as it was back in August when he first arrived.
Perhaps even more strange is hearing him curse out his defenders in English whenever they leave him exposed, quickly dropping back into Italian to ensure his message is understood. It has been a few years since such language has been heard at the Stadio Olimpico, Hart becoming the first goalkeeper from the UK to play in Serie A since the league began back in 1929.
It was certainly an odd experience for this writer when, along with Italian football writer Paolo Bandini, we found ourselves in a Turin coffee bar discussing the fact that England’s No. 1 was about to play in the city.
But Hart has certainly taken the move in the right spirit. "I don’t know if this is sick or perverse, but I have enjoyed what's gone on," the Shewsbury native told ITV this weekend (h/t the Manchester Evening News). "In a game like this you need to be able to spin it and make you a better person for it."
Italian football has been better for it, too, something Nima Tavallaey of SempreInter.com fully expected, explaining his thoughts when news of the England international's decision to join the Granata emerged.
"At first I felt bad for Hart that Guardiola forced him out of Manchester City since he'd done well at the club up to that point," he told Bleacher Report. "When the Torino transfer materialised I was positive as it would undoubtedly raise the profile of the Serie A in the UK but also excited to see what Hart could do when matched up weekly in the league with the highest level of goalkeeping in the world."
It was clear that the 29-year-old was set for a baptism of fire, however, with Torino—who finished last season in 12th place—undergoing a tumultuous summer. Captain Kamil Glik left for AS Monaco, his former partner in central defence Nikola Maksimovic headed to Napoli and AS Roma snapped up right-back Bruno Peres.
83 - Bruno Peres has completed the most dribbles (83) amongst the Top5 European Leagues defenders this season. Train pic.twitter.com/1GfGxMNKnp
Sinisa Mihajlovic replaced long-serving coach Giampiero Ventura, and suddenly this was a different team. Their lack of cohesion has shown all across the pitch, but nowhere has the lack of familiarity and continuity been felt more than at the back, with Torino conceding 48 goals so far this term.
Only four teams—three of which look almost certain to be relegated—have allowed more, while statistics from WhoScored.com show that the Granata have faced the fifth-highest number of shots in Serie A (14.9 per game) and committed the second-highest amount of fouls (16.1).
All those facts have combined to make Hart a busy boy between the posts. Figures from Fox Soccer highlight that only seven goalkeepers have faced more shots (131), while the interview below shows how the change of scenery has forced him to grow up after previously facing accusations of immaturity.
"Torino's offer came at the right moment for me, in the right manner," he told the club's website in his first interview with them (h/t Guardian Sport). "The coach here wants humility and ambition. I like that. That's how I want to be."
He has won over the supporters, with Rob Gillman—whose English-language blog about Torino can be found here—explaining to Bleacher Report just how the player is viewed on the Curva Maratona:
"While Joe Hart has certainly made a number of mistakes during his time at Torino, I would still say that his loan move at the club has been a successful one. His attitude has been exemplary, and his leadership and humility have helped a young side achieve some impressive results.
"Off the pitch, the former Manchester City man has fully immersed himself into Italian life, whether that be learning the language, or meeting supporters at Toro fan club dinners. For that reason, despite the odd mistake, I believe Joe Hart has earned the respect of almost all Torino fans and will be welcome back at the club with open arms, regardless of whether his stay continues beyond this season."
From Turin to London for England vs. Scotland—Joe Hart's travelling fan club 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/AfauH9BugM
For neutrals, much like his new fans in Turin, the story of Hart's time with the club so far is one of exaggeration. Every good save is lauded and spun into a transfer rumour, while every mistake is blown out of proportion and cited as "evidence" that he is not good enough for an elite-level club.
A number of former England internationals believe he is, however, with Ray Wilkins telling Premier League Daily (h/t Sky Sports) that Liverpool should make a move, while David James bizarrely said on TalkSport (h/t Football Italia) that Hart should "be looking at Juventus."
That cross-town move is obviously a non-starter with Gigi Buffon still shining as the Bianconeri captain, and Hart has definitely been at fault for a number of goals his team have conceded this term.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vysUbnp0ops
His last clean sheet was on January 8 and Torino are now almost certain to miss out on a European place, with Bandini taking time to explain his view on what the time at Torino has done for Hart's future prospects:
"Yeah, that's an interesting question. It certainly doesn't appear that he's headed back to City, so this could be an interesting summer for Joe. I think he showed character in taking this chance to play abroad, and I suspect it has probably opened a lot of new doors for him—because now clubs all over Europe might be more likely to make an approach.
"So few English players ever venture abroad that I think you end up with a self-perpetuating situation where clubs in other countries don't really consider them. That said, we have to be honest and recognise that—while he has done more good than bad, and is very well thought of in Turin—Hart has still made more errors this season than the very top clubs expect from their 'keepers.
"A team like Torino can tolerate that, because he's making enough saves to win them games as well. But a club chasing titles less so."
It is difficult to decipher where his future might lie, especially with the 2018 FIFA World Cup looming large on the horizon, but for now the man himself is simply enjoying his time with Torino and everything that comes with it.
"I'm very grateful to the fans for everything they are giving to me," Hart told reporters earlier this month per Goal. "I'll take that into account. I keep everything in consideration for the future, but for now I remain concentrated on Toro and what I need to do."
It's still a strange situation and one that continually seems unreal, but there he is every week, working hard on becoming a better goalkeeper and often looking like a different person than the man screaming loudly in the tunnel before losing to Iceland with England in Euro 2016.
The journey may be coming to an end and he's still Joe Hart, but he's not the same as he was before.
Serie A's '€100M' Star Andrea Belotti Has the Tools to Shine in Premier League
Mar 7, 2017
TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 05: Andrea Belotti of FC Torino celebrates victory at the end of the Serie A match between FC Torino and US Citta di Palermo at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on March 5, 2017 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
It’s been quite the journey for Andrea Belotti. He was playing in Serie B as recently as 2013/14, then spent the following season watching Paulo Dybala and Franco Vazquez fire Palermo to a comfortable mid-table finish in the top flight.
At the end of that campaign, he was sold to Torino, with La Gazzetta dello Sport(link in Italian) believing the Sicilian club received a fee of just €7.5 million in exchange for the striker.
But as the calendar turned to 2016, even that had begun to look like an expensive outlay—Belotti turned 22 years old with just one goal to his name in his first 16 appearances for the Granata.
Fast-forward another 15 months and the world has been turned upside down by the man known as Il Gallo. He has exploded into life, capturing the attention of fans and clubs across Europe, with people now crowing about the quality of ”The Rooster” at every available opportunity.
In December, Torino rewarded his dramatic impact by signing him to an improved deal. The contract extension tied Belotti to the club until June 2021 and contained a buyout clause set at €100 million, which—per ESPN FC—is only valid for non-Italian clubs.
Suddenly, an average striker who had found the back of the net just 31 times in 116 league appearances was worth a world-record fee, yet the answer as to why was simple. He’d started banging in goals. Lots and lots of goals, and he hasn’t stopped scoring since.
Belotti’s emergence began as he added 11 in the second half of 2016/17 and then carried that form into the current campaign; he's now sitting on a total of 22 in just 24 appearances that makes him Serie A’s leading scorer.
He was also called up to the Italian national team and scored three times in his first five games, his sudden scoring outburst making him a wanted man. Turin-based newspaper La Stampa (h/t ESPN FC) named Bayern Munich and Chelsea among his potential suitors, but it was Arsenal who seemed to have moved first.
“Yes, we received the offer, but it does not reflect the value of the player,” Torino sporting director Gianluca Petrachi told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) when asked about a €65 million bid from the north London club. “Anyway, he is going nowhere for now. We want to enjoy him, then we’ll see what happens.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMBh2ya84Eo
They’ve certainly been doing that as their star man repeatedly carves open defences across the peninsula.
"Belotti is a thoroughly modern striker who is quick, strong and can score all types of goals. His work rate is excellent, which was especially important in his early days when the goals weren't flowing as they are now.
"This ensured that the fans never got on his back and that he still merited his place in the team. Great credit also has to go former Toro coach Giampiero Ventura who stuck with Belotti despite his early goal drought."
The 23-year-old has drawn comparisons to Gianluca Vialli and Christian Vieri for his robust style and deadly accuracy in front of goal, netting his current tally in a variety of different ways, as the OptaPaolo tweet below highlights.
5- Only #Belotti in the top-5 Euro leagues All Comps 16/17 has scored at least 5 left-footed, 5 right-footed goals, 5 headers. Complete.
His bruising physicality and sheer bulk allow him to win the ball or finish off crosses with aplomb, while he excels at holding defenders off long enough to allow the midfielders behind him to get forward in support.
Belotti has adjusted easily from the 3-5-2 of former boss Ventura to the 4-3-3 favoured by current Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, his tactical flexibility undoubtedly making him even more attractive to would-be suitors.
He is also deceptively fast, the speed at which he moves around the pitch and his off-the-ball running seeing even Serie A’s notoriously well-drilled back lines come unravelled, allowing him to repeatedly find time and space in a league where both are extremely rare commodities.
WATCH: Andrea Belotti completed a hat-trick in just 8 minutes against Palermo. Il Gallo now has 22 Serie A goals this season. pic.twitter.com/Qcia6pfCH9
After he destroyed former club Palermo with the rapid-fire hat trick shown in the video above, Torino president Urbano Cairo jokingly insisted he may have even undervalued the striker with that aforementioned buyout fee.
“We set Belotti’s clause and it’s true that we would be forced to sell him abroad for that sum if he agreed to the move,” he told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia). “I don’t think we can raise the clause now, as we only just signed the contract. Of course, if I was negotiating it today, it should be €150 million.”
There was undoubtedly some playful hyperbole in those comments, but it is difficult to imagine the player staying where he is given the wages and Champions League opportunities likely to be offered to him this summer.
His case may also be helped by the fact that—after Simone Zaza’s woeful displays at West Ham United—Manolo Gabbiadini’s impact at Southampton has proved that Italian forwards can thrive in England, as David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com explained to Bleacher Report:
"While the €100 million fee seemed outrageous when the contract was signed, his impressive scoring rate as well as Gabbiadini ending the streak of Serie A strikers struggling in the Premier League, make it likely that a club with deep pockets could exercise it or negotiate with Torino a price in that ballpark.
"Belotti is still only 23 and many of the clubs he's been linked to like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have recently put a premium on investing in younger players. He'll certainly be one of the hottest names on the transfer market next summer."
But while supporters of his current club may be resigned to seeing the player move on, their biggest concern is not with the loss of his goals but what would happen to that massive sum of money.
Lovely Tuttosport front page featuring Belotti and Joe Hart. “Regallo” - a play on the word ‘gift’ and Belotti’s rooster nickname pic.twitter.com/Lk8RXjhLMj
— James Horncastle OMRI (@JamesHorncastle) March 6, 2017
“As a Torino fan, you tend to expect that the better players will not stay at the club for long, as we saw with Ciro Immobile, Kamil Glik and Bruno Peres,” Gillman continued. “Despite Belotti's 22 goals this season, Toro are in mid-table, and this is mainly due to the fact they have the fifth-worst defence in the league.
“Without Joe Hart in goal, it would probably be even worse, but the more important question for Toro fans is, if Belotti departs, would all the money go towards improving the playing squad? Of this, I have my doubts.”
That is a damning indictment of how the situation is viewed in Turin, but while the outlook for the Granata is somewhat bleak, Belotti has the world at his feet and could well become even more well-known in the coming months. As long as he keeps scoring, that is!
Joe Hart Drops Cross, Concedes Soft Goal on Torino Debut
Joe Hart's Torino career got off to a nightmare start on Sunday, when his mistake from a corner allowed Atalanta to grab a soft equaliser.
The England goalkeeper joined the Turin club on loan toward the end of the summer transfer window after losing his place in the Manchester City team, and he would have been looking to make a solid start to his time in Serie A.
But just a day after new City No. 1 Claudio Bravo flapped at a cross and conceded during his Premier League debut against Manchester United on Saturday, Hart committed a similar error to ruin an otherwise promising bow.
Atalanta went on to claim a 2-1 win courtesy of an 82nd minute penalty, capping off a disappointing afternoon for Torino and their new English goalkeeper.
Perhaps he was distracted by the teamsheet, which referred to him by another of his middle names:
Joe Hart to Torino: Latest Loan Details, Comments and Reaction
Aug 31, 2016
British goalkeeper Joe Hart poses upon his arrival for a medical check before joining the Torino football club from former club Manchester City on August 30, 2016 in Turin.
England goalkeeper Joe Hart arrived in Turin on Agust 30 ahead of undergoing a medical that should see him sign a season-long loan deal with the unfashionable Serie A club.
Hart, 29, has fallen out of favour with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City following the signing of Claudio Bravo from Barcelona and is set to join Torino in a bid to preserve his club future and international career following England's spectacular Euro 2016 exit.
/ AFP / Marco BERTORELLO (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)
Joe Hart has completed his loan move from Manchester City to Torino, bringing an end to one of the oddest transfer sagas of the summer.
City confirmed Hart's departure:
Joe Hart has joined @TorinoFC_1906 on a season-long loan - good luck in Italy, Joe 🙌
The move was met with mixed reaction from former England international Michael Owen, Squawka's Amar Singh and former Manchester City star Trevor Sinclair, per BBC 5 live Sport:
Strange move from Hart. Nobody in England want him or would City only sanction a move away from their rivals? https://t.co/N8BrthjjhX
Bleacher Report's Adam Digby shared this video of the incredible reception the Torino fans gave the England No. 1 and a glimpse of Hart putting pen to paper on the deal:
Hart’s decision to move was triggered by new manager Pep Guardiola, who opted for Willy Caballero in goal early in the campaign instead of the longstanding No. 1. The capture of Claudio Bravo from Barcelona cast even more doubt over the status of the England stopper.
The goalkeeper has endured a tough few months, having struggled towards the back end of the season for City and for England this summer at the UEFA European Championship. These numbers from Squawka Football suggest he’s not been in top form for a while:
Joe Hart has made more defensive errors (16) since 2012/13 than any other Man City player; 13 leading to goals. pic.twitter.com/ECKSptNIgz
Despite his recent issues, though, Hart has proved himself to be a top-class goalkeeper many times at the Etihad Stadium and at Wembley.
In terms of shot-stopping, there arguably isn’t anyone better in the Premier League. The 29-year-old is agile and sharp off his line to cut out danger. Additionally, he’s been a vocal presence at the back for City and the kind of intense character who helps forge a winning mentality in a squad. He was also a member of the club's two Premier League-winning teams.
Manchester City's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany (R) and Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart (2nd R) stand beside the Premiership (L) and League Cup (R) trophies as they prepare to take part in a victory parade on an open-topped bus through th
As we can see here, courtesy of WhoScored.com, Hart is commanding when it comes to dealing with crosses into the box as well:
Joe Hart: Has punched the ball clear more times (95) than any other goalkeeper in the PL since August 2013 #mcfcpic.twitter.com/tH2x52Gjim
Torino will be hoping to bring the best out of a player who is world-class on his day. The Granata lost star defender Kamil Glik to AS Monaco over the summer, and the capture of Hart will help a defence that has already conceded four goals in two Serie A matches this year.
The move to the Italian peninsula will help Hart escape some of the pressure he was forced to deal with in England, and given the low expectations surrounding this Torino side, he'll have every opportunity to stand out.
British goalkeeper Joe Hart shakes hands with a supporter shirt upon his arrival for a medical check before joining the Torino football club from former club Manchester City on August 30, 2016 in Turin.
England goalkeeper Joe Hart arrived in Turin on Agus
Indeed, while Guardiola evidently wants a goalkeeper who is confident on the ball and able to distribute with precision, there’s unlikely to be as much emphasis on those aspects of the game in Italy. Hart will be allowed to focus on doing what he does best, and that should allow him to rekindle his best form.
And with several clubs in Italy, including Napoli, short on quality goalkeepers, a strong run with the Granata could lead to a top transfer next summer.
Torino vs. Juventus: Why the Turin Derby Is Still One of the World's Top Matches
Apr 24, 2015
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, of France, and Torino defender Kamil Glik, of Poland, look at the ball, during a Serie A soccer match between Torino and Juventus at the Olympic stadium, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Massimo Pinca)
It is a rivalry that spans over many years, with the histories of Turin’s two football clubs interwoven across the decades since both were formed. Juventus were the Piedmontese capital’s first team, formed by students back in 1897, while a break-away faction led by Alfred Dick gave birth to Torino FC just nine years later.
Dick and his cohorts had grown tired of the decision to take Juventus in a more professional direction, forming their own club with help from future Italian national coach VittorioPozzo. The very first clash between them came the following year, with the newly formed club emerging victorious at the Velodrome Umberto I.
From those humble beginnings, two huge clubs would come to prominence, each taking its turn to dominate football on the peninsula and together shaping the early landscape of Serie A. The rivalry between them intensified, taking on increasing significance, as the importance of the city’s two sides also grew more widely known.
Eventually it came to be called the “Derby della Mole,” taking its name from the Mole Antonelliana, a distinctive former synagogue that dominates the Turin skyline. In Italian language, the word mole literally means “size” and is often used to denote a building of lavish proportions, and the match named after this one did indeed become Italy’s biggest game.
Juventus won five consecutive titles in the 1930s, only to see Il Grande Torino repeat that feat in the following decade, and no other side has yet matched that incredible achievement. Sadly the Granata side that accomplished it would perish in the Superga tragedy, the entire team wiped out in the 1949 plane crash.
The Bianconeri would be touched by similar grief much later, with 39 fans losing their lives at the Heysel Stadium disaster of 1985, although supporters sadly seem much more likely to mock the suffering of the other rather than be united by their shared experiences.
Over the 1980s and 90s Turin would lose its place as the capital of Italy’s footballing culture, replaced first by Milan and then Rome. Juventus—who blossomed into one of Europe’s truly giant clubs—began to dominate the derby on a regular basis.
This weekend sees the 231st match between the Turin rivals, with the Old Lady notching 92 wins and 62 draws, leaving Toro with 74 victories. The Granata’s best spell saw them go unbeaten against their crosstown rivals for over five years in the 1970s, while their most impressive result arguably came in the 1938 Italian Cup final, beating Juve by an aggregate score of 5-2.
Yet since their last win in April 1995, Torino have repeatedly failed in the derby, registering nine losses and four draws. The Granata have only spent 12 seasons outside the top flight and 10 of those have been in the years since that last derby triumph, and one of the seasons they did make it back to Serie A came in 2006.
That meant they missed out on facing the Bianconeri, relegated as part of their punishment for the Calciopoli scandal, the only time they have been in the second tier. With a stable Torino now enjoying their third consecutive top-flight campaign, they are emerging once again as a force to be reckoned with, catapulting Turin back to the forefront of Italian football.
Giampiero Ventura’s side currently occupy eighth place, and having enjoyed a stellar showing in the Europa League this term, they will hope to qualify for the competition once again this time around. Their domestic results have been equally impressive, holding AS Roma to a draw two weeks ago while boasting wins over Inter, Napoli and Sampdoria.
It might not sizzle with the electricity of the clashes in Rome, Milan or even Madrid, but—to anyone with an interest in the history of the sport—the Turin derby remains one of world football’s most significant.
Why Italy Must Turn to Torino Striker Ciro Immobile for World Cup
Mar 26, 2014
TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 22: Ciro Immobile of Torino FC scored his third goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AS Livorno Calcio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on March 22, 2014 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
This is all a journey for Ciro Immobile. Brazil is next up.
Immobile had scored lots of goals before. He was the top scorer in Serie B while playing with Pescara, the free-flowing side that racked up 90 goals during the 2011-12 season. Immobile had 28 of them in 37 appearances, but never a hat-trick.
After going four games without a win or a goal—he was even benched for a home game against Napoli—he promised his coach Giampiero Ventura, according to La Reppublica, that he would get a goal and end the drought. He got three.
He earned his first hat-trick against Livorno on Saturday and took home the match ball, saying it was a symbol of his sacrifice, per Goal.com.
Immobile said, per La Stampa, that he wants to prove his worth on the pitch. The 24-year-old is soft-spoken and takes advantage of his opportunities. He is not outrageous or experienced like his contemporaries. This is the first time he has had any success at this level.
He has done his apprenticeship. He played for Italy in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship this past summer, and he scored in the final. He was a substitute for Alessandro Del Piero when he made his debut in 2009, and he went on loan to teams in Serie B.
He still seems younger than he actually is. He is even a few months older than Mario Balotelli. Immobile is only starting his career in earnest, but he is not new to the scene.
Cesare Prandelli was watching the game at Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday between Torino and Roma. Immobile scored again. The strike was so Dutch. A teammate launched the ball from midfield, and Immobile hit it on the volley, looking a lot like Marco van Basten or Robin van Persie. It was his 17th goal.
Immobile now leads Serie A ahead of accomplished players like Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez.
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 05: Ciro Immobile of Italy during the international friendly match between Spain and Italy on March 5, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
But Immobile does not do it alone. Rarely does he score by himself, unassisted. Torino play through him. His partner Alessio Cerci sets him up.
Cerci is 26 as well, and he makes up the other half of the best partnership in Serie A. He and Immobile have created 35 of the 43 goals scored by Torino. That’s 81 percent.
Cerci was frustrated when he came off the field on the day Immobile scored that first hat-trick because he wanted a goal himself, but Immobile isn't trying to steal all the glory. He often repays the favour.
Once, he forced a penalty, a handball in the box, and Cerci took it instead. Immobile doesn’t do penalties. All 17 of his goals came from open play. There is a certain purity to that.
Balotelli scores a good chunk of his goals from set-pieces, and he doesn’t get the credit. Immobile is more inventive. He can score inside the box and out, on the run and off his head. But he almost always needs the service.
He is versatile in the way he scores. No one goal is the same. He is also deadly, and he doesn’t take a chance for granted. He converts 22.6 percent of shots, a great percentage and one of the best in the league. He pounces on every loose play, and he is swift on the counter. When a defender from Catania bungled the ball, Immobile was right there, chasing it down and running to score.
The chance to play for Italy in the World Cup is very real.
“Prandelli knows me,” Immobile said, per FourFourTwo, “he knows how hard I work.”
The problem is that he plays best with a support system, and he doesn’t do well as a substitute. Giuseppe Rossi, should he recover in time, is still a last-minute decision, according to Football Italia. Balotelli and Alberto Gilardino played the games in qualifying; Immobile only played his first game for the Azzurri this month.
Immobile says it doesn’t matter if Prandelli does not call him up for this World Cup.
“Last year I wasn’t even in the top 50 players,” he told Tuttosport, per Football Italia. “I am developing little by little and that is what matters.”
Despite his humble attitude, it is impossible to ignore the numbers: just two assists, but a goal every 124 minutes, according to Sport Mediaset. The Azzurri have played a more attacking brand of football, and they need the threat up front.
Balotelli is not a pure striker. Rossi is more of a seconda punta. Immobile is truly a prima punta—the strong, traditional forward. Immobile is exactly what Italy do not have. He is not yet a world-class player, but he could do for Italy what Pippo Inzaghi and Luca Toni did when they won the World Cup in 2006.
So.. Destro, Immobile, or Florenzi?? Either way the future looks bright.. #Azzurri
Now there are eight games left. Immobile doesn’t do much talking. He doesn’t say much of consequence, but he is always grateful. So when he scored that hat-trick, per FourFourTwo, he thought of his team and his family.
Brazil is not the first thing on his mind. But he should be on Prandelli's.
Torino's European Dream Gathers Pace with a Draw at Milan
Feb 4, 2014
Torino's Daniele Padelli celebrates after his teammate Matteo Brighi scored a goal during their Serie A soccer match against Sassuolo, at Reggio Emilia's Mapei stadium, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini)
It would be foolhardy, and more to the point, absurd, to draw any comparisons between this combative and effective Torino side and "Il Grande Torino" of the 1940s. It perhaps is not too much of a stretch however to draw some comparisons to this side and the team that last reached European competition in the early 1990s.
In the late 1980s, Torino had been relegated to Serie B. This proved devastating for fans of Toro as it was only the second time ever that this had happened.
After the shock, however, came the revival, and under the stewardship of Emiliano Mondonico, his side started its ascendency back to the top flight. The squad was young, and it played stylish football, and by the 1991-92 season, it was beating the likes of Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup.
Since this era, Torino have had a torrid time and have seen the depths of Italy’s second tier more than once. Now, as an established top-flight club again, they have worked hard to build a team that this season looks to be on the verge of pushing on to the next level.
On Saturday night at the San Siro, the Granata pulled off another superb result in collecting a point that Milan had to salvage. This leaves them in seventh spot, level on points with an Inter side that are in disarray and only two points behind newly promoted and equally impressive Hellas Verona.
The reason for their success so far seems to be evenly distributed around the pitch with an overreliance on one or two players certainly not being a factor.
The goalkeeper, Daniele Padelli, has had a superb season, and his performance against Milan continued to show the huge leaps he is taking in improving his game. Defensively, Kamil Glik has stepped up to the plate after recent departures thrust extra responsibility onto his head whilst Matteo Darmian has also looked more and more effective.
The midfield, too, is allowing Torino to prove effective with Alexander Farnerud, Matteo Brighi and Omar El Kaddouri all having very solid seasons.
The jewels in the crown are the two frontmen who have grabbed a very credible 21 goals between them. Ciro Immobile (11 goals) and Alessio Cerci (10 goals) have stated their positions as Torino’s stand-out players and potentially World Cup-bound forwards.
Tactically, their coach Giampiero Ventura has masterminded a style of football that is not only attractive to watch but is solid defensively, and it has enabled Torino to collect 21 points out of their last 30. With games against Bologna at home and Hellas Verona away, the Granata will be hoping that they can weather these ties before coming into contact with fierce rivals Juventus on Feb. 23.
European qualification is far from certain, but it is not out of sight by any means. They are not conceding many goals, and they have forwards who are certainly on form. What is certain is that this Toro side has fight in them, and Ventura will insist that this level of performance continues.
The glory days may not be something that will be returning to this side of Turin in the immediate future, but for this season at least, their fans have seen a side that has the bull by the horns.
Angelo Ogbonna: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report
May 20, 2013
FC Turino center-back Angelo Ogbonna is among the many players being tipped for a possible transfer in the summer window.
Here's a breakdown of his numbers and a brief scouting guide to the Italian international, along with a few hints as to where he might be playing next summer.
AGE: 25
CONTRACT SITUATION: Ogbonna has been at FC Turin since 2007 and is under contract until June of 2016.
CAREER STOPS: Turino (2006-); Croton (loan, 2007-2008).
CURRENT CAMPAIGN: Serie A—21 games, 1 assist; Coppa Italia—1 game; Primavera—1 game; World Cup Qualifiers—1 game.
VIDEO SHOWREEL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt7294tJabM
SCOUTING GUIDE: Ogbonna actually plays as a left center-back for FC Turino. The Italian international is tidy in possession and can competently start and attack from deep in his team's defensive third. His silky left foot makes him a useful addition to any back line and he has a keen sense of where to position himself defensively.
WHERE NEXT? Some of the most ambitious and richest clubs are interested in signing Ogbonna.
First up is English Premier League winners, Manchester United, who are said to be eying the Italian defender (Sky Sports).
Champions League finalists, Bayern Munich, are also apparently in the mix for Ogbonna (talkSPORT).
Arsenal is also a suitor (Metro) and is said to have a better shot than the Reds.
Any of the clubs mentioned would be a massive move for the young defender, who has the potential to be a mainstay in the Italian starting 11.
Angelo Ogbonna: Scouting the Rumoured Bayern, Man Utd and Liverpool Target
May 9, 2013
From Claudio Gentile to Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi to Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta, Italian defenders have enjoyed an unparalleled reputation for quality for decades. Although the names currently in the Azzuri squad do not quite command the same awe and respect as those past masters above, there is also a budding young generation hoping to reach those heights.
Among this group, Torino's 24-year-old centre back Angelo Ogbonna is knocking on the door harder than most.
Ogbonna was born and raised in Italy to Nigerian parents, and for the last four years has been a permanent fixture in the middle of the Toro defence. This prodigious rise to fame has not gone unnoticed. The youngster is set to be one of the names to watch in the coming transfer window, with some of the top clubs in Europe rumoured to be keeping close tabs on him.
The player himself admitted in a recent interview with Tuttomercato that he was flattered by interest from Manchester United, while The Express maintained that Arsenal and Liverpool were following his progress. The English trio could face strong competition, however; according to talkSPORT, Bundesliga winners and Champions League finalists Bayern Munich are also considering a bid.
But is Ogbonna ready for such a big step up in class?
Certainly, the Italian is a big talent. Standing 6'2" he is a big, traditional central defender, strong in the air and an imposing figure in the penalty area. Although a grand total of one goal throughout his entire career does not exactly point to a centre back who can impose from set pieces, Ogbonna is rarely beaten for a header.
His physicality, however, is not his defining characteristic. What really marks Ogbonna out from other young defensive hopefuls is a phenomenal reading of the game, reminiscent of stars past such as Nesta and Maldini. These legends often did not have to make the tackle, using their anticipation to cut off an attack before the ball even reached the area.
The Italo-Nigerian so coveted across Europe has this particular attribute in spades, and regularly records several interceptions in a single game, making him a leader in this particular defensive statistic. There is also no question over his loyalty; previous big-money moves to other Italian clubs purported by the local press have been rejected by Ogbonna, another factor that plays heavily in his favour.
There are still question marks over whether the young star has what it takes to adapt from a smaller, counter-attacking team such as Torino to an institution who play primarily on the front foot, meaning a greater pressure is shifted to the defence who are more exposed when the ball does break. England and Germany, moreover, place a far higher importance on mobility and pace than in Italy; Marco Materazzi, for one, is an example of a quality defender who failed to adapt to the Premier League, and it would be a baptism of fire for our subject.
All indications, however, suggest that Ogbonna is the real deal. Physical yet intelligent, quick on his feet and even quicker in reading the game, the 24-year-old prospect represents an equally intelligent gamble for Europe's best, as he prepares to become the focus of attention in the coming transfer window.
He may not come cheap—a bid of up to €19 million may be necessary to tempt the Granata, according to Goal.com—but the potential is there. Be it Bayern, Manchester United, Liverpool or whoever, Ogbonna could well turn out to be money very well spent.
Daniel is a football journalist based in Buenos Aires, who specialises in covering the South American game. You can follow him on twitter at @DanEdwardsGoal
