Pessina: “You remember the goal against Austria and the European Championship victory. Proud for Monza”

by our correspondent Iacopo Iandiorio

November 19th
– VIENNA

Matteo Pessina, 25, is the first Monza player in history to be called up to the national team. In Tirana he remained on the bench, tomorrow in Vienna he should start. “First Monzese in the blue? It’s a source of pride for me and the city. Doctor Galliani was moved when he was called up… Yes, it’s a good moment for me and Monza”. Matteo boasts so far 14 appearances and 4 goals for Mancini’s Italy. It was precisely against Austria on 26 June 2021 at Wembley that he scored his last goal for the blue in the round of 16 of the European Championship, the momentary 2-0 in extra time, after a touch in the area by Acerbi, after a cross from the left by Insigne. He was still at Atalanta and came on for Barella in the 67th minute at 0-0, number 12 on his back. “That goal against Austria and beyond, the whole of the Euro I would say, gave me a great boost in my career. The same goes for many of my teammates. The Euro victory gave us a lot: we weren’t among the favourites, I myself didn’t even have to be called up, and we will always carry that fantastic memory with us. It was a good sign for the youngsters, I like the approach the new ones have now.”

WORLDWIDE ABSENCE

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Pessina is not one to score a lot, 2 goals this year in Serie A and 2 in total last season, so that goal for the blue remains one of his most important in his career. He would have liked to repeat in Qatar but… “I think we have recovered from this disappointment for a long time: we are already focusing on other objectives, to work on tactical aspects and grow for the next competitions. We all wanted to go to the World Cup, it still burns, but we put it behind us.” His last in the blue field as a starter was with England at Molineux in Wolverhampton, last June in the Nations League. In September, however, the coach gave him an agreed break after an injury, and did not call him up, also given the change of coach in Monza, in the meantime, with the arrival of Palladino. Mancini speaks of a good test, more difficult than in Albania, of aggressive Austria and sustained pace. Matteo is ready to start over. In the name of the blue and his Monza.