Solbakken between Pirlo, Inzaghi and... Cittadella: "It's right to integrate, but now I'm ready"

A Norwegian with Pirlo's number 21 on his back. Markus Solbakken, the highly anticipated midfielder from the cold north, showed up with a great desire to play and demonstrate his worth. A player who brings with him a wealth of international experience, with appearances in the Champions League and a career that has seen him cross different leagues, from Norway to Denmark, to the Czech Republic and pitches all over Europe. It wasn't just the prestige of Italian football that convinced him to embrace the Nerazzurri cause, but also Pisa's desire to pursue him and cultivate Serie A ambitions. "There was interest already two years ago, then when I went to Prague in January 2024," Solbakken explained. "They followed me for a long time and for me this was a very important aspect. I'm happy to have closed this deal with my arrival in Pisa."

A midfielder who loves to play the ball, get in and give order to the play. "I'm a midfielder who likes to play with the ball, helping my teammates to express themselves at their best - continues Solbakken -. I play with two midfielders, like Inzaghi does, and it's a solution that I prefer to the three-man midfield" he said, underlining his harmony with the formation adopted by the Nerazzurri coach. The name of Inzaghi, for Solbakken, is not new. The Norwegian, son of art (his father is Ståle Solbakken, current coach of Norway), had already had the opportunity to cross paths with him in the past. "I already knew him, my father spoke to me a lot about him since I was a child - says the footballer -. Then at 17 I did a trial with Bologna and Inzaghi was my coach". Now he finds him in a place that wants to aspire to great goals: "Inzaghi is a coach with great passion, he really wants Pisa to win. I've only been here for two weeks, but I had the impression that he is also a great person". The settling in process has already begun, but for Solbakken the real obstacle is the language. "I'm trying to adapt as best I can and learn Italian, perhaps the biggest obstacle for me. On the pitch I can understand everything, but I want to improve. The Danish guys are helping me a lot, especially Oliver Abildgaard". For those wondering if he is ready and if tomorrow we will see him debut with Cittadella, also given the second match of disqualification to serve for Marin, Solbakken responds: "I am 100% ready to play, I needed to train with my new teammates to refine the mechanisms of the team, already well-oiled, and the game system. I would like to play the next match, but it will be the coach who decides". The curiosity linked to the shirt number could not be missed. The Norwegian will in fact wear the number 21. "I have always had the 6, 8 and 10, but they were taken... then I saw the 21 - concludes Solbakken - it is Pirlo's number and I had no doubts".