“I really feel like it,” says Nicolo Tresoldi with a view of the quarter-finals of the U21 European Championship against Italy. For him and coach Antonio di Salvo, the game is very special because of its Italian roots.
Before the classic on Sunday (9 p.m., in the live ticker at Sportschau.de), Tresoldi hardly gets his permanent grin out of his face. Sure, it runs for him: EM debut, premiere goal, group victory – and now also this special duel against his opponent.
He not only has “really Bock” on that, but apparently no worries about the opponent: “They should come from”is the announcement of the German-Italian before the game in Dunajska Streda, Slovak against his country of origin.
Grandpa The golf teacher of Van Basten, father professional at Atalanta
The son of an Italian and an Argentine was born in Sardinia in Cagliari. His grandfather was a glowing Milan fan and golf teacher by Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit, Papa Emanuele even a soccer professional in the 90s, including at Atalanta Bergamo. “He used to flank and I did the header goals”says Tresoldi.
When his mother received a job at Hanover airport as a flight attendant, the family moved to Lower Saxony. At 96, the center forward of all youth teams went through the center forward, became a professional in 2022, received German citizenship and celebrated its premiere in the DFB jersey in the same year. “There is already a lot of Italian blood in me. But I felt very comfortable here from the first second”says Tresoldi, who could also appear for the Italian or Argentine national team in the future. In the summer, however, he changes to the Belgian runner-up Club Bruges for a 96 announcement.
Special connection to Di Salvo
Trresoldi has scored six times in 14 U21 games so far, he has been set with coach Antonio di Salvo. “I chose Germany because of him. He was with my family and I was satisfied with what he said”said Tresoldi about the special connection to the coach.
“Privilege that I can combine many things”
Di Salvo also has Italian roots. In 1970 his parents moved from Sicily to Bad Lippspringe, nine years later, today’s DFB coach was born in Paderborn. The quarter-final duel is “Of course something very special”said the 46-year-old: “I wear German and Italian culture in me, it is a privilege that I can combine many things.”
The Italians had “an excellent team” so di Salvo, only conceded a goal in the preliminary round. “This will be a game at eye level, they defend a man against man, are very flexible”said Di Salvo, who will probably rely on Tresoldi after his complete rotation. “With him we have at least one on the pitch that can communicate with them if something goes wrong”, Nick Woltemade joked over his storm partner.