Alessandro Bastoni delivered a measured and composed performance at Lecce despite facing a hostile crowd throughout the 2-0 Inter Milan victory.
Indeed, Italian media, via L’Interista, largely praised the defender for keeping his focus in difficult circumstances.
The defender arrived at the Via del Mare off the back of a nightmare week following the Derby d’Italia controversy, and faced sustained whistles from the Lecce supporters every time he touched the ball.
It would have been easy to crumble under the pressure.
However, Bastoni refused to let the atmosphere affect his game.
Lecce 0-2 Inter Milan – Media Praise Composed Bastoni
Gazzetta dello Sport rewarded his mental strength explicitly, writing that they were “rewarding his steady nerves” after he was “whistled at every touch but avoided the trap, stayed on task and made no errors.”
TMW were equally impressed, noting that after a week from hell he needed “more than one deep breath to stay calm and play as he knows how, in man-marking he is a giant.”
Three outlets handed him a 6.5 while Tuttosport and L’Interista were slightly more reserved at 6.
Reflecting a solid if not spectacular evening from a player who deserves credit simply for performing under such unusual pressure.
Alessandro Bastoni ratings vs Lecce
La Gazzetta dello Sport: 6.5
Corriere dello Sport: 6.5
Tuttosport: 6
TMW: 6.5
L’Interista: 6
It’s hilarious that so many are acting so offended by a simulation. Everyone is so self-righteous all of a sudden as if every team every game doesn’t dive 5-10 times.
Let’s save the indignation for, I don’t know, a club match-fixing for decades?
Lecce. What more can one say.