A debut at the Bernabeu: Who is Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo?

It is a remarkable turn of events for a player who only joined the club in the summer – so just who is he?

Here's a primer on a young player that has already made a big splash in Italian football...

THE BASICS

Name: Nicolo Zaniolo
Age: 19 (born: 02.07.99)
Position: Midfielder

Past clubs: Genoa, Fiorentina, Virtus Entella, Inter (all youth level)
Joined Roma: Summer 2018
Italy caps: 0 (named in one squad)
Senior appearances: 7

ZANIOLO'S PATH TO ROME

Zaniolo, 19, joined Roma from Inter Milan in the summer – his transfer conducted during negotiations for midfielder Radja Nainggolan to go the other way. The Giallorossi paid an initial €4.5 million, plus a number of potential add-ons, to sign the attacking midfielder.

Zaniolo inked a contract that runs until the summer of 2023, taking the No. 22 shirt in the process.

Born in July 1999, Zaniolo is the son of professional – his father Igor having enjoyed a long career in Serie B with the likes of Salernitana, Cosenza, Ternana and Messina. A Tuscany native, Zaniolo was initially spotted by the Genoa youth academy, before switching to Fiorentina in 2010.

After six seasons with the Viola he moved to Virtus Entella, the Serie B side with a strong reputation for developing young players. There he made his professional debut (and all seven of his senior appearances in the game prior to this week), attracting the interest of Inter.

Inter signed him in the summer of 2017, immediately making him a core part of their strong Primavera (Under-19) side. With Zaniolo driving the side forward from an advanced position in midfield, the Nerazzurri won the league and Super Cup that season.

In total Zaniolo scored an impressive 14 goals in 28 appearances, adding a further 11 assists.

That perhaps attracted the attention of Roma sporting director Monchi, who made Zaniolo a key part of discussions when Inter showed their interest in Nainggolan this summer.

“I’m proud to get the opportunity to represent this club. Now I have to demonstrate out on the pitch exactly what I can do.”

- Nicolo Zaniolo

PLAYING STYLE

Still only a teenager, it goes without saying that Zaniolo’s playing style is still being fully formed.

To date, however, he has shown the ability to play almost anywhere in midfield – operating largely as the trequartista (or even as the No. 10) during his season with the Inter Primavera, but having proven himself equally adept as a more conventional box-to-box midfielder or even a deep-lying playmaker for both the Nerazzurri and while on international duty with Italy’s various youth teams.

In essence, then, he has versatility even if he still has a long way to go to maximise all his attributes: having shown a growing ability both to create and finish chances - along with a stamina and innate talent for runs into the box that clearly have attracted the eye of many observers.

“Last year I scored a lot of goals,” Zaniolo has said. “I can play in central midfield, or as a trequartista.

"I think that knowing how to play in a number of different roles can help the team in tough moments.”

Already comfortably over six-foot tall and stocky with it, Zaniolo’s youth is offset by his formidable physique – enabling him to dominate slighter players at youth level, and hold his own on the senior stage. Moving to Roma saw him join up with a coach and a club setup that looks to give young players their opportunities.

“Coach [Eusebio] Di Francesco puts his faith in young players – last year Mirko Antonucci made his debut, for example, and I hope I will get the same chances,” Zaniolo added.

“Monchi has really welcomed me. He told me that he, the coach and the club are all very pleased that I have joined – now it is down to me [to earn my opportunities].”

INTERNATIONAL RECORD

Zaniolo has represented Italy at both Under-18 and Under-19 level – helping the later side reach the final of the European Championships this summer.

His impact on that side was clear – scoring one goal and adding a further three assist from his station in midfield.

In September, Italy coach Roberto Mancini made the surprise decision to name Zaniolo in his first Azzurri squad – calling him up for the UEFA Nations League meetings against Poland and Portugal.

Zaniolo was not used in either games, but nevertheless will have gained a lot from the experience.

“I was watching the squad announcement on TV, they were announcing it at Coverciano," he said at the time.

"When I found out I immediately called my dad, who was a mess. We were both almost in tears, I was over the moon.”

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HIM

“At 19, he needs to get opportunities. In the past lots have other players have reached the national team at this sort of age. If he has the ability, and he can show it, then he will be called up again. We think he, and a few others too, all have great ability.”

- Roberto Mancini, Italy coach

“He has a talent that left a clear impression on us last season, a campaign in which he underlined why he is considered one of the most interesting prospects in Italian football.”

- Monchi, Roma sporting director

"Nicolo can play wide of a midfield three. Do you remember Simone Perrotta? He was a holding midfielder but then became an excellent trequartista – not so much with technical quality but an ability to make runs forward. I want to involve players that can produce a good final ball.”

- Eusebio Di Francesco, Roma coach

“Nicolo has great creativity, which is perhaps unusual given his physique. In terms of character, I’d say he is a very sociable guy. He gets on well with everyone. Maybe in the past I was wrong to compare him with Javier Pastore, but some of his characteristics do remind me of him. He has a different kind of physique and can play mezz’ala or trequartista. Maybe he plays a bit more like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic but, as I’ve said before, he still has a long way to go. Sharing a dressing room with the likes of Pastore is a dream, on the pitch he needs to show he deserves to be there with them.”

- Igor Zaniolo, Nicolo's father

“On one hand I’m surprised because a player with no Serie A appearances has been called up to the national team. On the other hand I’m not because it’s Nicolo, who has technical and physical potential. He’s above average compared to other players his age. In my opinion, he’s a midfielder with quality and also a runner, like Gerrard or Lampard. He must believe in himself more and be more consistent in training.”

- William Vecchi, Zaniolo's former Inter Primavera coach

FUN FACT

Prior to today, Zaniolo was still yet to make an appearance of any sort for the Roma first team. His involvement in the European Under-19 Championship in the summer kept him out of all five of Roma’s pre-season games (including the International Champions Cup), while his surprise call-up to the Italy senior squad earlier this month meant he missed the friendly against Benevento.

He has been named in every Serie A matchday squad so far this season, but is yet to come off the bench.

Di Francesco did hint a debut was approaching, however, saying before Sunday’s draw with Chievo Verona:

“Zaniolo, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante are in the running for the two wide central midfield roles," he said.

"These are three youngsters that have the qualities to play either side of Nzonzi or De Rossi.”

In the end, Pellegrini and Cristante started that game but, with another big match coming three days later, now it seems the time has come for Zaniolo to get his chance to impress.