passed away October 25, 2024 at home (DiMarco) Spinazzola. Survived by loving sister Maria (Spinazzola) married to Scott Fisher OH. Mike was a 1983 graduate of Windber Area High School and continued his education at California University of Pennsylvania receiving his master's degree in 1989.  Mike lived and worked in the Baltimore being employed by major companies in Environmental and Safety Services.  He was currently employed as the Environmental Health Safety & Laboratory Manager for Notre Dame University of Maryland.  Mike enjoyed spending time in his kitchen or at his grill creating delicious meals for his family friends and neighbors.  He was also an avid gardener Pittsburgh sports fan, and a collector of many items Gunner.  He was dearly loved and will be missed by all at Meek & Dalla Valle Funeral Home of Windber Isabella Lee “Bella” Spinazzola was welcomed into the arms of her Lord and Savior the daughter of Michelle Penny Spinazzola and Jeremy Spinazzola She graduated from New Haven School in Spanish Fork She worked as a preschool teacher at The Goddard School in Philadelphia where she touched many small lives with her enthusiasm for learning and art Bella’s life cannot be defined by the number of years she lived but by her boundless capacity to love and be loved Bella had a huge heart for working with children and the homeless in Philadelphia She poured her love into all the children she worked with and her young siblings She was invested in giving each child individual time and attention so that they would feel precious and special blankets and clothing in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia bringing her love and light to those struggling in darkness Bella was also a talented fashionista and artist who brightened the world with her warmth She had a unique and offbeat sense of style that brought a smile to everyone who saw her Her clothing combinations were so striking that strangers would often photograph her on the street Bella also loved expressing herself through art and she passed along the love of art to her students spending many hours preparing elaborate art projects for them to do together in the classroom Bella was preceded in death by her biological father Shane McConnell; her biological grandfather Michelle and Jeremy Spinazzola; siblings: JJ Sammy and Birdie Spinazzola; maternal grandparents Harry and Susan Penny; paternal grandparents Dan and Karen Spinazzola; biological grandmother Phyllis McConnell and family; aunts and uncles: Heather (Penny) and Adam Green Julie (Spinazzola) and Tyler Skipper; and many young cousins who looked up to her Friends will be received from 9 until the 11 a.m Burial will be private in Sky-View Memorial Park Memorial gifts in the form of contributions may be made to Small Things Ministry (smallthingsphilly.org) Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Roma’s left back won’t renew his contract and will leave the Capital after five seasons But how will we look back at Leo’s career in Rome After more than 150 games, seven goals, and 17 assists, Leonardo Spinazzola is poised to leave the Giallorossi. Roma won’t renew the left-back with the nicest Colgate smile in club football There are rumors Spinazzola might join Roma’s Southern rivals Napoli it’s gonna be strange to watch Leo in other colors than red and yellow Spinazzola’s Roman career started in 2019, so he was definitely part of the ‘old guard’ on the team. He was involved in a (financially strange, but shhh, you never know if FIFA is keeping an eye on this blog) swap deal between Juve and Roma, with Luca Pellegrini also part of the package. Roma got a 26-year-old Italian left-back and international from Juventus Leonardo would play in more than 150 official games for Roma He suffered a grave injury during that tournament while bossing that left flank and establishing his name as one of Europe’s finest left-backs... that last sentence is quintessential Spinazzola Leonardo was perhaps one of Roma’s best left-backs of all time It's safe to say Leonardo was never the same after that Achilles injury and we were left with a broken (physical and mental) Spinazzola His entire 2021-2022 season went down the drain he was back in full force and would even play 40 games We saw some glimpses of the best version of Spinazzola in Mourinho’s 3-5-2/3-4-2-1 Let’s just say most of Roma’s team was below average Daniele opted for Angelino as the main left-back mostly because Leonardo had muscle problems moved to Roma permanently while Leonardo’s contract expired I’m guessing the club isn’t too eager to extend the contract of an injury-prone player with a rather hefty salary saying goodbye to a player after five rollercoaster years is not easy Spinazzola never had a bad influence or wasn’t a pariah in the locker room He had a nice understanding with the other Italians Could it have been a spectacular career if he was made of adamantium or titanium I’m going for the easy answer: it was ‘ok.’ He won a trophy and played 30+ games in four of his five seasons at the club Only his 2021-2022 season was a disappointment but you can hardly blame Leonardo for his injury—just plain bad luck Tonetto was part of that amazing Spalletti side between 2006 and 2009 Spinazzola can brag about a Conference League trophy but 1) maybe we are giving it too much weight and 2) he rarely featured in that campaign due to his injury his best finish was fifth (his maiden season under Fonseca) his best performances since 2019 are perhaps with the NT in 2021 Who knows what would have happened if Spinazzola remained on top of his game between 2021 and 2024 I’m sure we would rank him higher on the list it will remain a ‘what if’ for the rest of our Giallorossi lives Now watch him win the Scudetto with Conte’s Napoli next year because that’s how former Roma players roll Stadium access guidance for 100% disabled fans Exception to Regulations for Use: use of crutches Leonardo Spinazzola will not be involved in the match against Udinese on Sunday evening Spinazzola experienced some muscle discomfort The Italy international underwent medical tests at Pineta Grande Hospital on Sunday which revealed a strain in his right glute muscle Share the article with your friends and support the team videos or galleries and continue to support Napoli This is the final part in our series about the 16 triumphant teams in the European Championship, before the 17th edition kicks off in Germany next month Here’s the last instalment — Italy winning a tournament officially still called Euro 2020 after its originally scheduled slot four years on from the previous edition Covid-19 meant we had to wait an extra year for the most recent European Championship which was played in cities all across the continent to mark the 60th anniversary of its first edition (rather than having one or two host countries) in summer 2021 in front of half-full stadia — and those crowds generally featured very few supporters of the two competing nations because of travel restrictions related to the global pandemic Italy’s failure to qualify for World Cup 2018 came as a serious shock — and they followed that setback by failing to qualify for World Cup 2022 as well they somehow managed to win the Euros for the first time since a somewhat unconvincing success on home soil in 1968 but Mancini seemed like an obvious choice when selected as national-team coach in summer 2018 Mancini had a reputation for being overly defensive but that probably suited both Italy and the nature of knockout tournaments He appointed his old Sampdoria strike partner Gianluca Vialli as Italy’s delegation chief in 2019 and the latter played a prominent role in Italy’s eventual Euros celebrations at Wembley he won the European Championship there too By this stage, top-level club football had shifted towards the use of a front five when in possession, often with two holding midfielders and three defenders. At this tournament though, Italy and Spain were the only sides who played in that manner the outstanding Leonardo Spinazzola would push forward aggressively from left-back to become the left-sided attacker in their front five which allowed Lorenzo Insigne to move inside This all worked excellently, down to Giorgio Chiellini being a left-footed centre-back comfortable in a three, and Leonardo Bonucci hitting Andrea Pirlo-esque diagonals. In midfield, Jorginho and Marco Verratti could command possession The best example of this system was the 2-1 defeat of Belgium in the quarter-finals when Italy blew away their opponents in the first half The two players positioned in the channels scored goals typical of their style: Barella bursting into the box then belting the ball home Insigne cutting inside and curling in his trademark finish from the inside-left position the only thing lacking was a top-class centre-forward Ciro Immobile’s domestic goalscoring record is excellent but he was found wanting in the knockout phase to the extent that when Italy were chasing the game against a parked England defence in the final Mancini substituted him just nine minutes into the second half brought on winger Berardi and played without a proper centre-forward But the Achilles injury he suffered against Belgium (he didn’t play again for 10 months) meant Italy were forced to cope with the more sluggish Emerson Palmieri in the semi-final and final That meant their key player was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who made decisive penalty saves in both those ties and was named player of the tournament and somewhat uncomfortable with the ball at his feet Donnarumma was nevertheless excellent at keeping it out of his net Verratti and Chiesa — even though he was primarily used from the bench — all had excellent tournaments too This was the first international tournament where managers were allowed to name a 26-strong squad This was originally because of the lingering danger of Covid-19 and the worry that some players would be affected in terms of contracting the virus Like the introduction of being able to use five substitutes England manager Gareth Southgate had switched between a back four and a five throughout the tournament Italy looked rattled and struggled to play their way into the game but England failed to capitalise and went too defensive too quickly was Italy having lots of possession but looking unable to break down England’s packed defence but then England simply hoofing the ball clear rather than looking to retain it and relieve pressure or trying to launch counter-attacks against Italy’s ageing defence One notable exception came when Bukayo Saka broke down the right and got dragged to the floor They had the better of the game thereafter In all, it was a tame and overly cautious final, overshadowed by crowd trouble beforehand which created a tense atmosphere inside Wembley Italy had an unhappy record at penalty shootouts coming into this one — they’d lost at the World Cups of 1990 as well as in the European Championships of 1980 they were up against a nation even worse at them Italy only scored three of their five, and seemed to have missed their chance to win it when Jorginho, who had scored the decisive penalty in the semi-final against Spain, produced his usual hopping approach to the ball and Jordan Pickford saved Saka placed a tame shot at a comfortable height for Donnarumma who was suddenly the star of the tournament Italy came into the tournament on a 27-match unbeaten run which they would eventually stretch to 37 later in 2021 They had the most cohesive system at the tournament the most solid defence and the most technical midfield and they kicked things off with that thumping opening-match victory over Turkey in Rome Shootouts are part and parcel of the game, of course, probably more so than ever. But one win in 90 minutes from their four knockout ties — much like Portugal in 2016 — means it’s difficult to truly know whether Italy were better than Spain but whereas past Italian sides have been considered rather boring Winning a European Championship between two failures to even qualify for the World Cup seems strange, but then Denmark in 1992 and Greece in 2004 had done the same thing has thrown up some rather unlikely winners Michael Cox concentrates on tactical analysis. He is the author of two books - The Mixer, about the tactical evolution of the Premier League, and Zonal Marking, about footballing philosophies across Europe. Follow Michael on Twitter @Zonal_Marking Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Leonardo Spinazzola, right, in action for RomaReutersNapoli have signed defender Leonardo Spinazzola (31) on a free transfer, the Serie A club said on Wednesday.No details were given, but Italian media reported he has penned a two-year contract after leaving AS Roma last month Spinazzola was part of the Italy team who won the European Championship in 2021 but has recently struggled with injuries that have restricted his time on the field It was the first major signing for Napoli coach Antonio Conte who was appointed in June after a lacklustre season in which three managers came and went and the team finished 10th in Serie A Leonardo Spinazzola scored against his former club with a delightful lob allowing Napoli to extend their lead at the top of the table The Giallorossi rotated the squad after Thursday’s 2-0 Europa League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, but Bryan Cristante was back in the starting XI after a long lay-off Romelu Lukaku returned to face his old club but Mathias Olivera was injured and Alessandro Buongiorno on the bench for the first time in 2025 See how it unfolded on the Liveblog. Matteo Politano was rather harshly booked for simulation when he went down under a Niccolò Pisilli challenge while Matias Soulè and Pisilli saw shots charged down from the edge of the area as Leonardo Spinazzola sprung the offside trap on a Juan Jesus ball over the top and waited for Mile Svilar to come rushing out before the precise lob into an empty net from a tricky angle He did not celebrate against his former club Leonardo Spinazzola refused to celebrate after opening the scoring against his former club ⚽️ 📺 @TNTSports & @discovery+ pic.twitter.com/qQXrlE8yMS — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 2, 2025 a corner was not cleared effectively and Alex Meret got down for a big save on the Evan N’Dicka header that bounced right in front of him McTominay fired over from the edge of the box on a well-worked quick passing move while the Paredes free kick shook the wrong side of the net at the near top corner There was a scare when Rensch’s attempted goal-line clearance kicked it onto the underside of the bar but it wouldn’t have counted as Lukaku was offside on the original shot Paredes was unfortunate not to equalise when he bent his free kick around the wall to thump the base of the near post on 75 minutes as it was the 12th time they have rattled the woodwork in Serie A this season Roma were pushing forward and snatched the equaliser in added time as Alexis Saelemaekers stood up a cross from the right for Angelino’s precise volley from 12 yards Another injury time equalizer in Serie A tonight This time Angelino grabs a point for Roma against league leaders Napoli 🤝 📺 @TNTSports & @discovery+ pic.twitter.com/tP0nXg2cqB — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 2, 2025 Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "ad055fdfcfa4842f12302242cda1073c" );document.getElementById("i09170fc1b").setAttribute( "id" fixtures and results for the latest from Serie A © Copyright 2025 Rocket Sports Network Ltd Students in James Spinazzola's conducting class attend a extended reality (XR) orientation to learn how the immersive technology can help give students a sense of what it feels like to conduct an ensemble in real time Around Cornell News directly from Cornell's colleges and centers summoning a symphony with a flick of your wrist creating a bridge between musicians’ talents and an audience’s imagination and the hours of practice that create a performance – you can’t see them but they’re there all coming to fruition in the form of shared musical experience Now imagine being a student learning the art of conducting or create the sense of dynamism or play that brings music to life,” said James Spinazzola Silver Associate Professor of music in the College of Arts & Sciences Spinazzola is one of the 2023-2024 recipients of an Innovative Teaching and Learning Grant and one of two recipients whose projects this year focus on building empathy into their courses to promote student learning that means harnessing immersive technology to help students build the confidence they need to access their creativity as they learn to conduct an ensemble.  associate professor of practice in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine that means integrating the arts and humanities into global and public education “The Art of Global and Public Health,” focuses on deepening student learning building empathy and exploring creative responses to complex global and public health challenges discusses the impact of photography and activist Brian Weil's work at the Herbert F Funded by the Center for Teaching Innovation the Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants sponsor projects that explore new tools and emerging technologies and teaching strategies Grants are awarded with an emphasis on each project’s potential impact and ability to be scaled and implemented more broadly on campus and beyond Last year, CTI awarded seven grants which are now progressing toward completion. For a full list of grantees and their projects, visit Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants James Spinazzola: Teaching Conducting in Extended Reality (XR) Environments come to college with any conducting experience the transition from sitting with an instrument to standing in front of an ensemble expecting leadership and direction can be difficult for students who must learn a vocabulary of nonverbal gestures and movements Even diligent practice in front of a mirror can only do so much to help prepare students for the challenge of leading a live ensemble and Spinazzola has found students struggle with feeling self-conscious and vulnerable in front of the mirror or their peers Confronting this challenge by creating a low-stakes environment for students to practice was part of what led Spinazzola to apply for one of the CTI grants models using a virtual reality headset and software to practice conducting His project integrates virtual reality (VR) and immersive technology into his pedagogy to give students a sense of what it feels like to conduct an ensemble in real time The project’s immersive realities provided practice to help students overcome inhibitions and build confidence as they learned the art and language of conducting “It’s very hard – it’s unnerving,” Spinazzola said “They have specific gestures and motions that they have to practice and they initially have no concept of how it looks or how it can be received by a musician but they have no point of reference as to how it would be perceived.” Immersion through XR technology provides students with a low-stakes environment to practice in allowing them to refine their conducting techniques all before they step to an actual podium to conduct live music students can learn the gestures that make up the vocabulary of conducting before standing in front of their peers to conduct and elicit the nuances of performance in real time students “can feel as though they’re on the conducting podium but they’re actually just at the Tech Lab at school They can go from practicing etudes and excerpts with the headsets to practicing etudes and excerpts with the ensemble,” Spinazzola said the virtual reality footage is not interactive so students are also expected to use other apps including Maestro and Conductor Masterclass the XR footage offers something unique: “They can conduct along with me and see what I’m doing while also getting a better sense of the musicians and the geography.” Spinazzola is now working to scale the project up The flexibility of the technology also allows him to partner with colleagues record their rehearsals and get their feedback on what he’s recorded in real time he also hopes to obtain artist feedback and pedagogical feedback from other teachers in the development and widespread use of the technology I think the more that the virtual reality format gains traction the more colleges are going to be able to afford the equipment and there will be a need for ready-made content,” Spinazzola said Being able to practice with the headsets “can make it fun for students to practice and that fun aspect is what I’m most interested in,” Spinazzola said Jeanne Moseley - The Art of Global and Public Health What does Christoph Winkler’s Environmental Dance Challenge have in common with the Hulu adaptation of Beth Macy’s Dopesick They’re all works that Moseley has integrated into her courses The goal of Moseley’s project is to develop innovative models for arts and humanities integration into teaching and learning in global health education Moseley helps students build an empathetic and more comprehensive understanding of critical public health challenges ranging from the HIV/AIDS and opioid crises to the climate crisis “I’ve always loved experimenting with active and engaged learning opportunities that invite students’ lived experiences into the classroom,” Moseley said motivating her students to consider their shared humanity.  Moseley’s project stemmed from her interest in the role the arts and humanities can play in building empathy and destigmatizing difficult public health issues and topics and poetry but hadn’t considered implementing them into her teaching and practice Two experiences many years ago – a lunch at the Herbert F and participation in “The Inner Life of Teaching and Leadership cohort,” which modeled how art and poetry could enrich learning and build community – changed that “I had not considered how powerful integrating the arts and humanities into my public health teaching could be on student learning I was also seeking new ways to feel inspired in my teaching while at the same time exploring new strategies to encourage connection Moseley started to work with the Johnson Museum yearly to organize interactive study gallery sessions for students who fought to make AIDS a subject of cultural and political discourse the study gallery includes HIV/AIDS education posters which provide a geographical and historical overview of how culture and politics structure public health communications.   Students in a public health course taught by Jeanne Moseley Johnson Museum of Art to participate in an interactive study session Moseley also began to incorporate poetry into her classes experimenting with how poems could challenge students to consider new perspectives and lived experiences Further experimentation with the humanities and other artworks soon followed I kept seeing that it was working to serve as an invitation for students to be open to new ways of seeing and sometimes perspective transformation,” Moseley said Moseley’s project has included building and expanding on these curricular innovations and models She’s creating and piloting ten new active learning sessions; and coordinating with the Johnson Museum to use current exhibits to open new spaces for conversation and understanding about public and ecosystem health from diverse perspectives.   Her approach “challenges students to step outside of their comfort zone and provides new experiences and modalities of learning This creates space for students to interweave their public health knowledge with the development of emotional and social intelligence It’s exciting to see students have a-ha moments as they begin to pull the threads of their learning and experience together through the arts and humanities,” Moseley said.   which integrates the arts and humanities into six class sessions that center public health conversations around a unique art form The project’s development has been supported by undergraduate and graduate curricular interns and fellow faculty members who have invited her to experiment with the arts and humanities in guest lectures in their classes.  “I’m trying to do this not in big ways but small ways,” Moseley said citing the example of Harjo’s poem “Honoring,” which she feels highlights core values around ethics and public health She hopes that the possibility of taking small steps can encourage other faculty to integrate similar approaches into their courses You could take your class to the Johnson Museum Get Cornell news delivered right to your inbox Napoli left the Stadio Olimpico with a single point after Roma found an equaliser in stoppage time The Azzurri took the lead in the first half when Leonardo Spinazzola ran onto a ball played over the top and lobbed the onrushing keeper Angelino's volley two minutes into injury time earned the hosts a share of the spoils Antonio Conte offered the following analysis after the final whistle: "It's a shame we conceded that late equaliser but a draw away to Roma is not to be sniffed at We've won seven and drawn one of our last eight “We analysed the situation that led to their goal I also showed them Angelino's goal against Eintracht from a similar position many times We knew how we needed to set up in the box but unfortunately we lacked composure on that occasion The way the Roma players celebrated the draw shows that Napoli are a feared team again – that says a lot about what we're doing here “Roma didn't cause any major problems for us We gave very little away and we were in control of the match It's a pity about the goal because we could have done much better We needed to pay more attention to the finer details but these things can happen and we should take them as a warning to help us improve We're disappointed but we're looking forward “Generally I'm pleased with how we're doing If someone had offered me seven points against Atalanta We'll take this point because it's another one on the board and we'll keep working with the same intensity They deserve so much and we want to continue on this path.” Goalscorer Leonardo Spinazzola gave his own take on the game: "We're gutted and for a few days we're going to be disappointed about wasting the chance to win another game It hurts to concede so late on but a point against Roma – who were on a winning run at home – is still a good result The joy I felt for my goal kind of disappeared when they equalised at the end In any case we have to look forward now and focus on the next game.” Roma 1-1 Napoli (1-0)Scorers: Spinazzola 29 Referee: Fabbri (Ravenna).Booked: Politano OneFootball's home page Search Settings Sign In Sign InJoinLeonardo Spinazzola awaits Roma’s return call | OneFootballRomaPress Leonardo Spinazzola is still hoping to have his contract renewed by Roma The Italian fullback is on the verge of becoming a free agent as his 5-year deal with the Giallorossi is set to run out in the coming days So far, Roma have not attempted pursue any negotiations for Spinazzola’s renewal but things may soon change as the player remains hopeful for an extension The latest report by Il Tempo claims there have not yet been any contacts between the club and the player’s entourage The newspaper argues that Spinazzola himself would be enthusiastic about staying in the capital Several European and foreign clubs have shown interest, but the priority of the Italian defenders remains Roma Related NewsFrom Germany: Leipzig in pole for Fabregas Luciano Spalletti: “We’re best friends with Totti.” Roma choosing not to play Paredes to avoid paying PSG extra fee Only Napoli better than Roma in Serie A since Ranieri’s appointment Roma interested in Gladbach striker Tim Kleindienst Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Eberechi Eze scores as Eagles get ready to peak in FA Cup final Glasner will be content with his side’s performance against a team chasing Champions League qualificationCrystal Palace had their chances and could have nicked it late on, but a 1-1 draw... Football transfer rumours: Rashford in Man Utd exit talks; Real Madrid suffer Alexander-Arnold setback Real Madrid 'agree terms' with Carlo Ancelotti over his departure Carlo Ancelotti's future appears to be sealed after the iconic Italian manager has reached terms over his pending departure from Real Madrid.According to fresh reports from The Athletic, an agreement... Paris Saint-Germain made a significant push to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Kvaratskhelia was high on PSG’s list of priorities especially as they looked to replace the departed Kylian Mbappe PSG boss Luis Enrique had identified the talented attacker as a key target the Rouge & Bleu club could not secure his signature Kvaratskhelia, who enjoyed a stellar season with Napoli, was also a target for FC Barcelona who were keen to bolster their attacking options Both European giants saw Kvaratskhelia as an ideal addition to their squads According to Transfermarkt Kvaratskhelia’s market value is approximately €80 million Reports indicate that PSG made several substantial offers for the Georgian forward with bids reportedly reaching up to €210 million This figure was not only for Kvaratskhelia but also included a proposal for his teammate Napoli remained steadfast in their refusal to let Kvaratskhelia go The club was determined to keep hold of their star player with no intention of parting ways with him Leonardo Spinazzola, a Napoli teammate, expressed his delight at Kvaratskhelia’s decision to stay. Speaking to Radio CRC (h/t Le10Sport) Spinazzola highlighted Kvaratskhelia’s exceptional ability to open up the play and his crucial role in the team This failed transfer would have hurt PSG supporters a lot if it weren’t for the impressive performances and potential of Bradley Barcola and the signing of Desire Doue the left side of the Parisian team seems to be well covered © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"60","src":"61","url":"62"},{"type":"5z","value":"63"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"66","url":"67"},{"type":"65","value":"68"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands PSG boss Luis Enrique had identified the talented attacker as a key target Kvaratskhelia, who enjoyed a stellar season with Napoli, was also a target for FC Barcelona According to Transfermarkt Leonardo Spinazzola, a Napoli teammate, expressed his delight at Kvaratskhelia’s decision to stay. Speaking to Radio CRC (h/t Le10Sport) Antonio Conte could dust off the 4-3-3 despite the time for the return of David Neres are not yet mature: in both cases he should play from the start Leonardo Spinazzola which was intercepted by the microphones of Radio Crc the intensity and the quality of the passes and we were good at not rushing: the second half was superlative and in the end we took home a deserved draw" Not just the standings: despite continuing to miss the appointment with victory the Azzurri came away from the match with the league leaders with a renewed spirit "From this match we gained new awareness before two challenging months which we are therefore approaching in the best possible way To definitively close the complicated period I think we need to wait for three players to return from the infirmary: at this point I think we are ready for the final part of the season" Spinazzola relies heavily on the elements currently stuck in the pits but in reality the Napoli seems to have acquired new life also from the players who arrived in January "The new purchases have integrated very well into the group and we have been good at making them feel at ease straight away because they are important players who with the hand of the coach will be able to further improve physically mentally and in everything that he transmits to us every day" Another fundamental factor for the rebirth of the Napoli which however does not win from 25st January is the newfound feeling with the Maradona and in general with their fans "Their closeness and their support are very important especially in certain matches that are perhaps more heartfelt than others And then the stadium is always beautiful." The standings are also beautiful which for this year seems to foreshadow a tight fight until the last day that could also include teams that were perhaps erased from the list too quickly "A situation like this can be a good thing We have practically finished the direct clashes while the others will lose points among themselves Napoli have announced the signing of Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola from Serie A rivals Roma. The 31-year-old, who has 24 international caps, was part of his country’s squad which won Euro 2020. He was named in the team of the tournament following the Azzurri’s penalty shoot-out victory over England in the final at Wembley. Spinazzola will work under former Italy, Chelsea and Tottenham manager Antonio Conte at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. “Leonardo is proud to be one of us!,” read a message on Napoli’s X account announcing the transfer. The left back spent the past five seasons with Roma, a period which included winning the 2022 Europa Conference League under Jose Mourinho. He began his professional career at Juventus where he lifted the Serie A title in 2019 following a series of loan moves. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices “Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.” He mentioned that 10 kilometres of the Sokoto-Badagry road project would also be inaugurated before May 25 Mr Trump has threatened certain unauthorised immigrants with prosecution Twenty fellows will be selected—ten from the African continent and ten from the global African diaspora Mr Bwala argued that another achievement of Mr Tinubu’s government is the increased monthly allocation to states Dangote expressed confidence that the new leadership of NNPC Limited will propel the country’s energy industry to new heights and respect for constitutional rights are foundational pillars of the Nigerian Republic © 2025 Peoples Gazette™ Limited son of the late Michael and Helen (Vespa) Spinazzola William and Matthew Fisher who he cherished above all others Michael served in the US Air Force prior to attending Concord University majoring in Secondary Education Michael taught at Pittsburgh Central Catholic School and then relocated to Windber in 1965 where he taught science at Windber Area High School until retirement in 1992 Michael also coached a variety of sports while at Windber including Track He was also the eighth grade class advisor Michael enjoyed sharing the fruits of his labor with friends and family Windber where funeral mass will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m Family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 5 to 8 p.m Thursday at Meek & Dalla Valle Funeral Home Inc where vigil service will be held in the evening Anthony Cemetery with military rites by Windber VFW The severity of the distraction will be verified in the next few days, but Neres will certainly miss the next two games, against Lazio and against Como. Conte lost Leonardo Spinazzola immediately before the match against Udinese, a lesion of the right gluteus medius with recovery times of 20-30 days. Olivera could perhaps return early, for the trip to Como. Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola reacts after missing an opportunity to score during a Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena in Munich Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola is carried on a stretcher off the pitch after an injury during the Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola is carried on a stretcher of the pitch during the Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena in Munich Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola covers his face after injuring during the Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at at the Allianz Arena in Munich Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola lies on the pitch after an injury during a Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena in Munich Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku attempts a goal as Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola saves during the Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Belgium and Italy at at the Allianz Arena in Munich MUNICH (AP) — The in-flight entertainment turned out to be the Spinazzola Serenade The Italians had plenty to celebrate after reaching the Euro 2020 semifinals with the victory in Munich but they had also something to commiserate because of the man of the hour was carried off the field on a stretcher and may not be able to play against Spain on Tuesday in London “It’s a big loss for us,” said Lorenzo Insigne “It’s very sad to see and we’re all trying to get behind him.” The Italian soccer federation said Saturday that Spinazzola was checked by doctors in Rome “If the diagnosis is confirmed (clinical signs of an injury to the left Achilles tendon emerged yesterday) the player will return directly to his club,” the federation said in a statement on its website A torn Achilles would mean several months out blocked a second-half chance from Romelu Lukaku on the line with the score 2-1 His teammates hugged and kissed him as if he had scored a goal But his game ended a few minutes later after he pulled up sharply while chasing the ball He was carried off the field in the 79th minute with his hands over his face Italy coach Roberto Mancini’s first thoughts after the game were for Spinazzola the speedy left back who was clocked at running 33.8 kph (21 mph) in the group stage Mancini said he and the rest of the team were “gutted” by the injury Spinazzola set up one goal in Italy’s opening 3-0 win over Turkey and another to help the team grind past Austria 2-1 in the round of 16 Spinazzola took some time to blossom into one of Italy’s best players and he started playing forward like his idol He was 16 when a youth coach at Siena suggested his best chance of progress was at fullback Spinazzola didn’t agree but he gradually moved further back He spent his youth career at Siena and then Juventus He didn’t make his debut for Juventus’ senior squad until January 2019 after loan spells at six different clubs Spinazzola tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee towards the end of his two-year stay at Atalanta He only made one start and four substitute appearances for the Bianconeri before he was sold to Roma at the end of the season Juventus reportedly had concerns over his physical condition A proposed transfer to Inter Milan collapsed last year when the Nerazzurri noted that one of Spinazzola’s legs was slightly shorter than the other So Spinazzola stayed at Roma and made 27 Italian league appearances and 11 in the Europa League last season “Unfortunately we all know how it went but our blue dream continues and with this great group nothing is impossible,” Spinazzola wrote “I can only tell you that I will return soon AP Sports Writer Daniella Matar in London contributed to this report More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP Full-back’s pace allows his side to alter formation and his combination with Lorenzo Insigne is a handful for opponents Read more“If I wasn’t fast enough, I wouldn’t be playing,” Spinazzola said this week, but that explanation was back-to-front. It is his pace that allows Italy to play the way they do: using a 4-3-3 that becomes a 3-3-4 in possession with Spinazzola racing forward to join the attack He provided the assist for Federico Chiesa to break the deadlock in Saturday’s game against Austria Even in the 95th minute of a gruelling last-16 tie Spinazzola had the energy to arrive on the edge of the opposition’s penalty area picking out his teammate with a composed cross-field pass Spinazzola’s first footballing idol was Ronaldo and he would devour the VHS tapes his father brought home of the Brazil striker playing for Internazionale whose machine-gun celebration he imitated while playing up front for his first youth team The switch to defence was gradual and reluctant Spinazzola was 16 when an academy coach at Siena told him his only hope of going far would be as a full-back “I did not agree at first,” he said after he joined Roma in 2019 He swapped Siena for Juventus in 2012 but spent six seasons on loan at six teams before he had the chance to play for them When the Old Lady finally gave him an opportunity, Spinazzola impressed, producing a standout performance in his Champions League debut, a 3-0 win over Atlético Madrid in March 2019 Coaches at Juventus did not doubt his talent so much as his durability He had torn a cruciate ligament toward the end of his final loan spell They were not the last ones to have such concerns It was one of the lowest moments Spinazzola had known since injuring an ankle during his first year in the Siena academy. He had wanted to quit but was talked out of it by his mother. “She told me to grit my teeth and keep on trying,” he said. “And she was right.” Read moreThat same attitude was required to get back on track after the move to Inter collapsed He has spoken about changing his diet in Rome and doing more work in the gym but feels what really made the difference was getting things right in his head He had always pushed himself hard but now he was working clever as well no longer just a “crazy horse” trying to go everywhere at top speed but only in the past 12 months has the full-back started regularly for the national team His pace has lent Italy a flexibility they did not have Mancini said: “He’s so strong and explosive that he can play [as a wing-back] in a back five or [as a full-back] in a four” Taking the second option allows the manager to keep an extra forward on the pitch without sacrificing width The assist against Austria was Spinazzola’s first of the tournament, but his marauding runs and frictionless overlapping with Lorenzo Insigne on the left were an essential element of the 3-0 wins over Turkey and Switzerland Both players are right-footers with a preference for cutting inside but instead of treading on each other’s toes that shared skillset has given defenders a headache – not knowing which will take the inside lane on any given attack Spinazzola’s defensive contribution is just as important has recovered possession more often for Italy at the tournament The left-back position has often been an important one for Italy, filled by Paolo Maldini, Gianluca Zambrotta and Giacinto Facchetti. Fabio Grosso was the unlikely hero of the 2006 World Cup, scoring the goal that broke the deadlock in their semi-final against Germany as well as the deciding penalty in the final shootout against France he has also voiced his ambition to win Euro 2020 “When I was a kid I would be glued to the TV as I watched the national team’s games,” he said in 2019 knowing that I am on the other side of the screen and that all Italians are watching me he has given his country something to cheer But Italy are still in the race to win Euro 2020 and Spinazzola is not done running just yet a healthy and rejuvenated Leonardo Spinazzola could be the ace up their sleeve Jonas takes a look at Spina's remarkable odyssey how I missed those energetic runs and charges down the flank Leonardo Spinazzola turned back the clock and bossed the left side like it was 2021 all over again The past two years haven't been too kind to Spinazzola This is about the remarkable journey of a man on the brink of exclusion Spinazzola made the Team of the Tournament causing many Roma fans to dream of his electric runs taking Serie A by storm Spinazzola was arguably Itaý's finest and strongest wing-back and the Giallorossi were bearing witness to a genuine breakthrough Then it happened. Again. Spinazzola suffered a severe injury for the second time in his career following an ACL tear during his short Juventus stint in 2018 This time it was an Achilles tendon injury suffered during the quarterfinals of Euro 2020 against Belgium—an injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a year but he never looked like the Spinazzola of old Even after the summer and a whole pre-season A kind of odyssey that would even break Joel and Ellie and even Stephan El Shaarawy as a left wingback in his 3-4-2-1 only one man was right for the job; too bad that man was currently broken you always keep finding something to fight for Leonardo didn't give up; he pushed through a post-pandemic world and ultimately won his personal battle A more than decent display against Hellas was followed by a masterclass against Salzburg including two assists for Belotti and Dybala And a player tailor-made for Mourinho's current 3-4-2-1 lineup Next to the healthy Wijnaldum and rejuvenated Belotti it seems Mourinho has a third power-up available in the race for the top four with this version of Spinazzola ready for a crucial period of the season as we're getting into money time soon And he came back possibly stronger than ever Claim up to £/€50 free sports match bet Sign up with F25 promo code for up to £25 free matched bet Though they were in front for the majority of the game Napoli failed to beat AS Roma on Sunday as Leonardo Spinazzola’s first-half opener got cancelled out by Angelino two minutes into the second-half stoppage time Spinazzola’s goal was very nicely taken A delightful lob from Leonardo Spinazzola 👌#RomaNapoli pic.twitter.com/fxqVam81dW — Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 5, 2025 Vesko is a football writer that likes to observe the game for what it is He follows the English Premier League closely His articles have been published on seven different football blogs Login or Register Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Get all the latest football news, betting tips, and promotions for all the major leagues around the world. 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Read More For all betting related promotions and bonuses SoccerNews.com Copyright © 2006 - 2025 All Rights Reserved All odds quoted correct at time of publishing and subject to change Please confirm your date of birth and remember to play responsibly passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours Wednesday at the Brandywine Living at Seaside Pointe in Rehoboth Beach He was the son of the late Michael and Viola (Russo) Spinazzola and was born in Altoona He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years A graduate of Altoona High School and the Pennsylvania State University Bob began his professional career as a biology teacher in the Altoona Area School District but was soon attracted to developing business professionals through the Dale Carnegie Training He retired in 2001 after successfully operating his own Dale Carnegie franchise across 50 counties of Pennsylvania boating on the three rivers and the Chesapeake Bay and was at his best when he was taking care of others in his family or community He was a long-standing member of the Rotary Club of Altoona and St Robert Michael Spinazzola II and his husband Janelle Gentilini and Susan Detwiler; and nephews A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m Committal will be held at Calvary Cemetery the family encourages memorial contributions be made in Bob’s memory to the food pantry of the Society of St Condolences may be made at www.stevensfamilyfuneralhomes.com or Stevens Family Funeral Homes Facebook Italy's delight at reaching the Euro 2020 semifinals with Friday's 2-1 win over Belgium was soured by a serious injury to left-back Leonardo Spinazzola who was taken off on a stretcher in the second half and is expected to be out of the tournament AS Roma defender Spinazzola who has been fundamental to the Azzurri's impressive run to the last four tumbled to the pitch in pain the second half clutching his lower leg before medical staff attended to him "He has been one of the best players of this tournament and he will still be even if he can't play in the next games very sad with what has happened it seems quite a serious one," Italy manager Roberto Mancini told a news conference Leonardo Spinazzola had to be stretchered off the pitch. Christof Stache - Pool/Getty ImagesSpinazzola, 28, was pictured in tears on the stretcher as he left the field to be replaced by Emerson Palmieri, who is likely to take his spot for Tuesday's semi against Spain at Wembley Italy striker Lorenzo Insigne said the players were saddened by the injury to their team mate. "Its a great loss, we will try to go all the way above all for him. Up to today he has been such a key player, an influential player for us," he said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leonardo Spinazzola (@spina_leo) Mancini hailed his team for another impressive performance "I don't think we suffered too much in any moment of the game To beat a team like Belgium you need a great performance by everybody and this is exactly what happened today," he said "We scored two and we could have scored more Spain are next but the more you go forward the most difficult it becomes we just want to think about our performance and our victory." Italy left-back Leonardo Spinazzola has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after tests on Saturday confirmed he had suffered a torn Achilles tendon The 28-year-old has been one of the standout performers for Italy and was impressive again in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over Belgium as he was named star of the match -- for the third time in four matches at the tournament -- despite being forced off on 80 minutes with the injury Spinazzola was sprinting down the left wing alongside Belgium's Thorgan Hazard when he pulled up and immediately signalled to the bench that a change was required He undertook an examination at Sant'Andrea University Hospital in Rome where it was confirmed he had suffered a torn tendon in his left Achilles "Unfortunately, we know how it's gone, but our Azzurro dream continues and this is a great opportunity to show that nothing is impossible," Spinazzola wrote on Instagram on Saturday "I can only tell you that I will be back soon Despite leading Italy to a first major tournament semifinal since 2012, manager Roberto Mancini said after the match he was "sad" following Spinazzola's injury Spinazzola, who started his career with Juventus but made his name during a loan spell with Atalanta, plays for Roma and has been dogged by injuries throughout his career In January 2020, he saw a move to Inter Milan fall through due to an issue with a medical the in-flight entertainment in Italy's returning flight turned out to be the Spinazzola Serenade The loud singing and enthusiastic cheering wasn't for either of the two players who scored who prevented a goal that could have tied the game Spina!'' the Azzurri players sang to their injured teammate some banging on the overhead lockers to keep the beat "It's a big loss for us,'' said Lorenzo Insigne "It's very sad to see and we're all trying to get behind him.'' Italy face Spain in the Euro 2020 semifinals at Wembley on Tuesday with Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmeri expected to replace Spinazzola in Mancini's starting lineup Information from The Associated Press was used in this report Spinazzola's sublime play for the Azzurri hasn't gone unnoticed as AS suggests Real Madrid want Roma's left-back There are no shortage of links between Real Madrid and AS Roma The two capital clubs may exist in different stratospheres but they seem to cross paths quite often From Madrid's failed pursuit of Francesco Totti in 2004 to their purchase of Antonio Cassano to Roma's gambles on Real castoffs like Cicinho and Julio Baptista there is more history between these two clubs than fans probably realize And, if Spanish outlet AS is correct, Madrid would like to deepen those connections by signing Leonardo Spinazzola With two goals and four assists in 27 league appearances Roma's 28-year-old left-back was one of the few bright spots in a disappointing season for the Giallorossi Euro 2020 is proving to be Spinazzola's coming out party With instrumental performances in Italy's first two group matches a pair of 3-0 victories over Turkey and Switzerland Spinazzola has been one of the stars of the group stages earning rave reviews from pundits and journalists all over Europe Considering his performances with Roma and the spotlight afforded by Euro 2020 it was only a matter of time before the mega clubs came calling I fully expect to wake up tomorrow to headlines that Liverpool are after Spinazzola now Okay, okay. I may have pegged the wrong mega club, but the sentiment was spot on. According to AS, Real Madrid's new manager has quite a sweet spot for Spinazzola and may have dispatched an emissary to the south of France to discuss a possible transfer of the 28-year-old And we're not talking about some random Madrid executive stuffed into business class on a red-eye flight Madrid has reportedly sent former Lille director Luis Campos to the riveria to discuss a possible Spinazzola transfer with Davide Lippi Campos and Lippi are set to discuss a possible Spinazzola for Borja Mayoral swap who came to Roma last summer on a two-year loan can be purchased outright next summer for €20 million with both clubs suffering financial difficulties at the moment AS reasons that a swap might suit both party's current wants is getting on in years and makes €8 million per season (net) so Spinazzola would be a younger and cheaper option going forward Signing Spinazzola would also afford Ancelotti the luxury of deploying new signing David Alaba further up the pitch who has only young Riccardo Calafiori behind Spinazzola on the depth chart Spinazzola is finally living up to his enormous potential a fact that is apparently not lost on the whole of Europe as he continues to terrorize opponents during Euro 2020 but Roma would be foolish to let him walk away now This may have been the first Spinazzola transfer rumor we've reported on but it definitely won't be the last This story will likely amount to nothing but it does speak volumes about Spinazzola's growing standing in the game Spinazzola—who plays his club football for Roma—put on a performance against Austria that was simply eye-opening Chelsea is probably as set in the left back/wingback spot at this moment in time so this is nothing more than a dream signing if the club decides to cash in on its current non-starters The current backups are more than capable to play behind Ben Chilwell so a move on this position is highly unlikely unless the aforementioned sale(s) actually take(s) place Chelsea need look no further than Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola for a back-up left wingback if the Blues decide to sell Marcos Alonso and Emerson this summer Spinazzola’s performance against Austria was sensational. He not only successfully completed his left back defensive duties, but showed the capability of playing far up the pitch, adding another dimension to an already formidable Italian attack. The 28-year-old hasn’t seemed to be a huge force for the Azzurri in the past though, he has just 17 caps for his country One doesn’t have to see much more than the match against Austria though to be convinced he’d be an asset for any side It’s important to note firstly that this type of signing—at a position of solid starting quality and depth—is predicated solely on the case where one, or both, of Alonso or Emerson are sold. Regardless, there is always the possibility that manager Thomas Tuchel may consider altering his formation next season Emerson or Spinazzola may be worth considering There seems no doubt that the blisteringly fast Italian left-sided defender could not only spell at left back but would be a dynamic attacking midfielder from the left of a three-man midfield It was mentioned on the telecast that he may be the fastest player on the Italian team that possesses a bevy of players with a menacing pace That has to get Chelsea fans pumped at the prospect of his rampaging up and down the left along with Chilwell in a fearsome two-some in the attack if that 4-3-3 actually is implemented in 2020/21 he would a formidable addition to a Blues side that is on the verge of being a consistent perhaps only lacking a true clinical finisher at the No so the price could be adjusted accordingly this is one way the Blues could address the depth if both of the out-of-favor wingbacks are sold Do you think the Blues should pursue Spinazzola? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter Spinazzola’s performance against Austria was sensational. He not only successfully completed his left back defensive duties, but showed the capability of playing far up the pitch, adding another dimension to an already formidable Italian attack. The 28-year-old hasn’t seemed to be a huge force for the Azzurri in the past though, he has just 17 caps for his country It’s important to note firstly that this type of signing—at a position of solid starting quality and depth—is predicated solely on the case where one, or both, of Alonso or Emerson are sold. Regardless, there is always the possibility that manager Thomas Tuchel may consider altering his formation next season Former Chelsea prospect pens emotional goodbye to long-time club Do you think the Blues should pursue Spinazzola? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter Sign InJoinLeonardo Spinazzola expected to leave Roma this summer | OneFootballGet Italian Football News Roma full-back Leonardo Spinazzola is expected to depart the club at the end of the season and he has probably played his last game for the club already The tests were carried out some hours ago and with no contract talks ongoing over a new deal for the Italian, it seems as if he will leave the club in the summer. Roma are yet to appoint a new sporting director meaning that no concrete developments have taken place on this front in the last few weeks and months the Azzurri man will leave in the summer on a free transfer and the club’s desire seems to be that they will not renew his deal Related NewsSerie A: Lecce vs Napoli – probable line-ups and where to watch on TV From Germany: Leipzig in pole for Fabregas That Gets His Left Toe – Leeds United Face Needing To Fork Out For Target set for their quarter-final against Belgium tonight performs as a squad greater than the sum of its parts under the reign of accomplished former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini It feels wrong to use the phrase ‘greater than the sum of their parts’ for a team with such great individuals but those individuals given the opportunity to express themselves and excel something we rarely see at international tournaments and none more so than Roma wide-man Leonardo Spinazzola whose replacement comes around due to his lack of playing time at Chelsea Spinazzola travelled 700km south to join Roma in 2019 from Italian rivals Juventus Only playing for ‘I Bianconeri’ 12 times in his five years at the club Leonardo saw himself loaned out to Atalanta Persistent injuries have plagued the player brought through the Siena academy This season alone has caused him to miss 17 games with four separate injuries However a welcome turn of fortunes has come just at the right time for Spinazzola to shine He has spent the majority of his playing time this year as a left midfielder in a 3-4-2-1 creating a formidable partnership with Henrik Mkhitaryan who would play on the left of the two attacking midfielders in-front Throughout all competitions Roma’s emphasis on attacking play focused on the left-hand side with 37% of their attacks coming down the left flank Its primary cause is Spinazzola’s brilliance this season along the touchline ranked in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90 minutes with 9.39 in the 97th percentile for dribbles completed per 90 minutes with 2.21 and 97th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 minutes Lorenzo Insigne and Juventus star-man Cristiano Ronaldo he also ranked sixth in carries into the opposition penalty area above Belgian frontman Romelu Lukaku and teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan Spinazzola constantly looks to overlap in the attacking phases of the game including the iconic Paolo Maldini and Gianluca Zambrotta Playing in the first two group games left-back in the Italian 4-3-3 Spinazzola is still asked to play just like the new breed of attacking fullbacks do in the 21st century he constantly looks to overlap in the attacking phases of the game Defenders look to push him towards the outside onto his supposed ‘weaker’ foot but Spinazzola is more than capable to put crosses in with his left and has done so regularly this season he ranks ninth in crosses this season and fourth with crosses into the penalty area Spinazzola has featured in the first two games of the group stage whilst being chosen to be rested in the third whilst Mancini made eight changes to the starting XI a 3-0 trouncing of Turkey who left everyone wanting more saw Leonardo rise to the occasion with a Man of the Match performance showing his electric pace and energy down the left-flank He showcased his attacking threat with two shots on target and completed three dribbles he recorded the fastest sprint time for any player at Euro 2020 a valuable commodity for both attack and defence Spinazzola re-emphasised his good form from the group stage putting in another Man of the Match performance The game was far tougher than expected for Italy as the tough Austrians pushed them all the way crossing brilliantly for Federico Chiesa’s opener in the 95th minute one of the tournament favourites in the quarter-final Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard will be a completely different and more difficult challenge for the Italian defence and the Italian faithful will be looking towards Spinazzola to continue his strong performances to carry his nation to a tournament win something his national counterpart in Maldini never achieved This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed The Italian full back made headlines against Atletico Madrid and joins Roma in a reported 29 million euro deal Making that June 30th deadline ain’t easy. The way inflated transfer fees are spreading across European football has opened up a new debate as to whether the FFP summer fiscal window should be pushed back in line with the August 31st transfer window deadline Today we welcome Roma’s new starting full-back Leonardo Spinazzola signed in a blockbuster (blockbuster!) 29 million euro player-plus-cash exchange deal Before anything, we should get to talking about the guy heading Juventus’ direction I personally feel little-to-nothing of Luca Pellegrini’s performances in either a Roma or Cagliari shirt I did feel sickened by the news he was leaving yesterday which is weird since I like this deal for Roma on the whole I guess it’s just on principle that Roma are losing an academy graduate (and I personally don’t care if he’s Roman or not—which he is he’s far more Roman than I’ll ever be—I just care that he graduated from Trigoria) The club put a lot of work and investment into Pellegrini and he looked like repaying them with an extremely good physical balance and a nice ball technique He also evidently has considerable intelligence on the pitch as the Italy U-20 campaign saw him playing as a box-to-box midfielder for the first time in his career But there are question marks over whether his character is built to make the most of his talent in Rome I have no doubt Pellegrini has a big chance to go on and be an international starter at Juventus, and realise all his potential. But this is kind of like the “will Manolas be a better player at Napoli?” question I don’t think anyone doubts Manolas playing alongside Koulibaly in a more stable (ish) environment is going to bring better performances out of Kostas Just like the odds of Pellegrini making it at Juventus are high by default That doesn’t mean either of these guys have the character to make it at Roma where discipline has always been lacking and tends to turn up the volume on any player’s inner asshole if they’re liable to get intoxicated by it It’s happened to many talented players with inhibited characters who was a dick in the locker room to fellow Romans like Gaetano d’Agostino before the club cut ties with Antonio Cassano and Totti had to rethink his whole approach to the game through major injuries Eusebio Di Francesco was open about the fact that he loved Pellegrini the footballer Give me a Christian Panucci anyday of the week over these latter-day Romanita 1.0 heroes we already have Francesco Semeraro coming along at both Roma Primavera and Italy U-18 level; trying to raise both Pellegrini and Semeraro at senior level would have been awkward down the line Spinazzola is no Christian Panucci, but I’ve admired the new Roma fullback’s performances ever since 2016-ish at Atalanta forming a two-man wrecking crew with opposite wing-back Andrea Conti in Gasperini’s resurgent young side of that season Spinazzola even helped to put the screws to Roma when both sides met in Bergamo with what little gametime has been afforded to him Spinazzola’s stock has only risen on the pitch He not only has one of those Ronaldo/Bale-ish physiques that’s awesome on wide players but the young(ish) Italian fullback was part of the Juventus side that took apart Atletico Madrid’s notoriously tough defence in last season Champions’ League 3-0 second leg victory in Turin Juventus both opened Atletico up and put a mental beatdown on them; Simeone’s men dropped far too deep and even gave up trying to win the ball It wouldn’t have been possible without Spinazzola pushing up high on the left-flank and staying high off the ball It takes iron will to call and raise Atletico’s full backs on the highest European stage Juventus played most of that game with just 3 men staying back that game mirrors the kind of possession-based formation Fonseca ideally wants in the Italian capital next season an idyllic world where Rick Karsdorp and Leonardo Spinazzola find form and peak fitness for Roma because Karsdorp looks like he’s been transfer-listed this summer (congratulations on becoming a father though Roma’s opponents are on the defence. They scan the middle of the barrel in midfield, they scan out wide. The Giallorossi are everywhere, their opponents outnumbered. But a momentary lapse in concentration on the ball from Roma leads to a turnover in possession. This is the chance for Brescia to hit Roma on the break at 0-0 against the run of play Both Roma fullbacks track back the entire length of the Olimpico pitch in under ten seconds The Giallorossi outnumber their opponents back in Roma’s own half in the blink of an eye they’ve already got the numbers advantage moving up into the opposition half all over again An exasperated Brescia midfielder comes to the sidelines for a water break: “It’s no good Spinazzola’s highest average sprint speed last season was recorded at 34.68 km/h against Roma at the Olimpico Not that the speed in itself did much good for his team’s 2-0 Olimpico loss but that’s even faster than Karsdorp and El Shaarawy’s best All this potentially backed up by Aleksandar Kolarov from the bench It seems like Gianluca Petrachi took a look at what his new coach wants, and told himself: NOS. We need NOS. Boy does this squad make Davide Santon’s lack of pace look like an awkward fit Spinazzola began his career in hometown Foligno and enjoys the little-known distinction of being the first Folignate native to play for the national team (if that ever comes up in a pub trivia quiz After making his Azzurro debut under Ventura a further seven international caps would follow to the present day Spinazzola racked up milestones at every level of youth and senior club football He was first taken out of Siena’s youth ranks as a striker-turned-winger by Juventus in 2010 transferring to Turin and winning the Viareggio Cup (that cup again) within the Juventus youth ranks in 2012 Spinazzola then went through several loans to wind up at Atalanta in 2014 turning out equally handy at defending as he was with his technique on the ball The Italian certainly had the skills and pace to take out 2-3 defenders at a time in the opponents’ half but it was at his second spell at Atalanta in 2016 where he’d finally meet Gianpiero Gasperini Gasperini is known to train his players to man-mark all over the pitch at all times regardless of where the play is happening on the field and the Italian full-back even scored his first Europa League goal in that campaign His Atalanta experience instilled Spinazzola with the kind of will shown in that Atletico Madrid game just gone by always open and available with the confidence to know he can defend against his opponent all over the flank So we’ve signed a 26-year old Italian international fullback in his prime and holding the mental and physical attributes to play in Fonseca’s side the milestones and experience in all competitions The risk is two-fold with this Spinazzola signing Roma are only actually paying Juventus 7-8 million euros over three seasons to exchange a raw Pellegrini with a ready-made Spinazzola So the 29 million euro headline fee won’t actually weigh on the club’s accounts in any noticeable way It certainly won’t weigh in any panic June 30th sales from here on in making Spinazzola the unquestioned starting full-back (whether on the left or the right) for the 2018/19 season if Spinazzola doesn’t hit form and Roma need to move on from his next summer which club can Roma convince to take Spinazzola off their hands for over 20 million euros If you thought Bruno Peres was hard to say goodbye to this could wind up exactly like that should Spinazzola not fit in Rome They need him to find the kind of consistent playing time he has rarely found in his career to date Which leads us to the second major gamble of this deal: the Italian’s knee problems Originally mis-diagnosed with a “minor” knee issue in late 2017 the full-back would later suffer a full blown ACL tear in 2018 that kept him out for a much longer rehab than Juventus would have wanted on Spinazzola’s return to the Bianconeri In the year since coming back from that injury Spinazzola has had the usual muscle fatigue problems that Roma are well used to seeing in their own ACL-recoverees It’s noticeable that Spinazzola has cut out the stops and turns on the ball that may have aggravated his knee problems going all the way back to 2014 Now he’s a much more ‘on rails’ player tearing up and down the flanks I have no problem with efficiency over fanciful skill even if both combined in one player are even better This signing all boils down to whether you believe Spinazzola can stay fit and whether you just plain like Spinazzola or not Because he’s planning on you seeing a lot more of him in a Giallorosso shirt for years to come