Matteo Palma was the guest on Udinese tonight. Here’s some of what the young defender said on the club’s TV channel:
“I’m feeling better and recovering well. I still don’t know when I’ll be back in action. I’m receiving treatment and working in the gym. I’ve also started running again and doing some work with the ball.
“Losing to Lazio was disappointing. We should’ve at least have taken a point. We managed some situations poorly and dropped too deep. At a certain point it was clear they were going to score a second goal.
“I earned my starting position because I worked really hard during the pre-season camp, played in all the friendlies and was fortunate enough to put in a top performance in the Coppa Italia. I was then handed a spot for the match against Como. Now I’ll have to earn my place again - I won’t automatically slot back into the team when I’m ready for action again. It’ll depend on the coach and how I train. Injuries are part and parcel of football. Fortunately I won’t be out of action for long, and the international break will come at a good time for me.
“Playing for an important club like Sampdoria did me a lot of good. I came back from my spell there with more experience and confidence. Serie B is a difficult league and there are some very good forwards plying their trade there. I was given a great welcome by the club. Both coaches I worked with gave me confidence, and I appreciated that a lot.
“There isn’t a single forward I wouldn’t want to face, but Lautaro Martinez is the one who’d pose the toughest challenge. In training, I get to pit my wits against Keinan Davis. He’s a great striker who combines physicality with technical expertise. A bit of a rivalry has developed between the two of us lads - whoever wins the practice match always takes the mick out of the other.
“Choosing a national team to represent is going to be a tough decision. I lived in Germany until I was 13 before moving to Italy - my mum is German and my dad is Italian. My parents just want me to choose what’s best for me. They’re proud of me. They used to visit me often in Genoa. My mum would even make the trip all the way from Berlin. I really appreciated that - without those visits, my mood would’ve suffered. Their presence means so much to me.”