Calciomercato Cagliari, islanders throw themselves into the fray for Aquilani’s protégé
Sassuolo, at the input of its new coach Alberto Aquilani, has also set its sights on Catanzaro’s Mattia Liberali: the 2007-born was available to Fabio Grosso’s successor on the neroverde bench last season. He has a 6-million exit clause split between Milan and the Calabrians (50 percent each) and set at the time of transfer. There are also Bologna and Cagliari in the running for the Carate Brianza native, whose fine experience with the Giallorossi, who went within a step of promotion to the top flight, seems to have come to an end.
Liberali had an intense season at Catanzaro, culminating in the Serie B playoff final against Monza. The Calabrians, led precisely by Aquilani, had eliminated Palermo in the semifinals and went into the final act with ambitions of returning to Serie A after a 43-year absence. The comeback in the return final at the U-Power Stadium had gone as far as 2-0 in the second half, with goals from Fellipe Jack and Frosinini, but it had not been enough to overturn the 2-0 first leg signed by Hernani and Caso in favor of the Brianzoli.
Catanzaro’s path to the final had been exhilarating, however. In the semifinal against Palermo, the Calabrians had first conquered a net 3-0 at Ceravolo in the first leg, and then defended the lead at the “Renzo Barbera” in the return match, where Aquilani had deployed Liberali behind Iemmello and Pittarello, entrusting him with a prominent role in the Giallorossi’s system of play. A double performance that had confirmed the qualities of the young offensive midfielder even in moments of greater competitive pressure.
In the final match against Monza, Liberali had already been deployed as a starter in the first leg at Ceravolo, acting in pair with Pittarello behind Iemmello in Aquilani’s 3-4-2-1. A choice that confirmed the centrality of the young talent in the tactical project of the Roman technician, capable of enhancing him in a context with very high stakes.
The bond between Liberali and Aquilani is therefore solid and consolidated by an entire season of working together, an element that explains the priority interest of Sassuolo. The coach chosen by the neroverde club to pick up the legacy of Fabio Grosso, who moved to Fiorentina after leading the Emilian club to promotion and a quiet salvation in Serie A, has evidently identified in the young offensive midfielder an ideal profile for his technical project.
