Article by Wesley Davidson
Italian football and defensive prowess have long been synonymous, and Giuseppe Pezzella is one of the latest starlets plying his trade on the back line. Born in 1997 in Monteruscello, a community just outside the calcio-crazed city of Napoli, Pezzella dons the pink and black of Palermo. He is a product of their youth system, which he joined soon after being discovered while playing in his hometown. Pezzella quickly worked his way through the ranks and the 2015-16 season brought 11 appearances forPalermo’s Primavera squad. His Serie A debut came on December 6th, 2015 in a 3-0 away loss against Atalanta, a mere seven days after his eighteenth birthday, and he endedthe campaign with 9 games under his belt in the top flight.
The 2016-17 season included an increase in playing time by just over 300 minutes in 10 appearances for the Rosaneri, but perhaps his best moment for the club cameoff in the field in February. Pezzella put any rumors of a move away from Palermo to bed when he signed an extension on the first day of the month, expressingimmense pride in doing so.
“It is a point of pride having renewed with Palermo. I arrived to play with the youth squad and now I am with the first team. I thank the president, the director, and the whole club for the opportunity to continue my adventure here.”
On contract until June 30th, 2020, the Napoletano will be taking his talents to Serie B next season after Palermo’s 19th-place finish and subsequent relegation. Playing in the second division could be a welcomed opportunity for Pezzella to refine his game and assert himself as one of the best young defenders in Italy. He has been likened to Juventus and Azzurri star Giorgio Chiellini, lofty praise by any standard. The comparison is likely due to Pezzella’s confident reading of the game, high work rate, and inclination for making crucial blocks and interceptions.However, the similarities end there as the Palermo man brings an entirely different skill set to the table. Although the 19-year-old has primarily featured at left back, he can also push up as a midfielder on the left side of the pitch and play as a center back. Additional strengths include dribbling skill, ball control, and accurate crosses with his favored left foot.
Pezzella’s most recent action has been with Italy at the U20 World Cup in South Korea, where he has been a lock in the starting XI. He played the full ninety in the Azzurrini’s opening four matches before receiving what appeared to be a very questionable red card in Italy’s fifth game, a 3-2 quarterfinal win against Zambia, and he missed the semifinal loss to England as a result. His promising crossing ability was on display when he played provider on one of the best goals of the tournament. The 19-year-old whipped in a wonderful ball from the left sideline that found teammate Riccardo Orsolini open at the back post and he calmly volleyed home to take the lead against France. The last chance to see Pezzella before the 2017-18 Serie B season comes on Sunday when he will likely be back in the starting XI for Italy in their third-place tieagainst Uruguay.
