Italy’s three biggest daily newspapers have been unanimous in their praise of Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni following his Italian national team debut last night versus Estonia.
Bastoni was drafted in to the senior Italian national team following several injuries to players initially called up and Bastoni was handed his debut in what proved to be a comfortable 4-0 win over the European minnows.
Gazzetta dello Sport have handed Bastoni a seven out of 10 rating for his efforts in the match at the Stadio Artemio Franchi and had the following to say on his performances: “Under 21? The time for apples is over. A player that Mancini cannot do without. Feet of a regista, sense of position and total concentration.”
Corriere dello Sport also gave the former Atalanta defender a 7/10 rating and said this of his performance in Florence: “He is Mancini’s 28th rookie, he is just 21-years-old and changes the game system by entering a four-man defence while in Inter he is the third central defender.
“Despite all this, together with Grifo, he is the best in this national team. He took the throw-in which the first goal came from and continued without missing a ball. Passed with full marks.”
Tuttosport meanwhile gave Bastoni a rating of six but still praised Bastoni for his performance: “He plays with the personality of a veteran and confirms all the qualities shown also in the start of the season. He showed a sense of time and position that allow him to even make up for the uncertainties of his teammates.”
Bastoni joined Inter in the Summer of 2017 and is under contract with the Nerazzurri through to the end of the 2022/23 season. This season he has made seven appearances, in which he has tallied one assist.