The portrait of the latest purchase. Immovable starter and best player of the C. Catania fans furious about the sale

From the heart of Lombardy to the warmth of Sicily, to arrive at a new chapter under the Leaning Tower. The career of Alessio Castellini, born in 2003, continues his climb towards the elite of the Italian football with the recent transfer al Pisa. A transfer market move that has left bitterness among Catania fans, in Serie C, where the defender was not only a fixed point of the team, but a true symbol, as captain. Authoritative and elegant even with his feet, 186 centimeters tall and also very fast, Castellini has played 23 games so far this season, scoring one goal. Authoritative and elegant even with his feet, as well as 186 centimeters tall and also very fast, Castellini has played 23 games so far this season, scoring one goal. He can cover various roles, as a center in a three or four-man defense, he can also be a full-back and the fifth and when necessary he can also play as a central midfielder. A real wildcard. When necessary also a "bomber", last year he scored 6 goals between the championship and the Italian Cup of Serie C. Castellini's path is not the result of chance. Raised in Brescia, his talent has not gone unnoticed even at a national level, with the participation of the Lnd Representative in the Viareggio Tournament, where he contributed to reaching the quarter-finals. Inzaghi knows him, as he took him on retreat during his year in Brescia, in the summer of 2021, appreciating his qualities.

He made the real leap with his transfer to Catania, in a historic and passionate place that is not always easy to conquer. Arriving at just 20 years old, Castellini has shown personality and continuity, collecting 36 appearances as a starter and being substituted only twice. A performance that earned him the captain's armband and the affection of a fan base that yesterday, after the news of his transfer to Pisa, rose up in ferocious criticism towards the Sicilian club. Castellini, albeit on tiptoe, having to fit into a team already with five central defenders, could carve out his own space by virtue of his qualities as a wildcard that also recall other players capable of playing in multiple roles, from De Vitis to Jidayi. The surname Castellini is not new to fans: his uncle Paolo has written important pages in Serie A with Parma and Roma, also boasting six appearances in the Champions League with the Betis Seville jersey. A model to follow. In the meantime, Catania is left with regret for a talent who seemed destined to become a flag. But in football, as in life, destiny sometimes takes you far away and brings him to Pisa, in open battle for promotion to Serie A.

Michele Bufalino