Former Milan Primavera sensation Andrea Petagna talks about the pressure he endured while with the Rossoneri and how he was close to leaving the sport.
Having been considered one of the brightest talents in the country and raising eyebrows in Milan’s youth system, Andrea Petagna was destined, as proclaimed by many, to be another great Italian striker in the making. After lighting up the Primavera league with 13 goals in 23 appearances in 2012/2013 at 17 years old, Milan sent Petagna on loan at Sampdoria to gain some top flight experience. This is when the pressure to live up to the hype began to set in and in an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport, the former Milan youth product opened up about those expectations, almost quitting football, his rebirth as a player and his personal life.
On Milan, the expectations and almost giving up on football:
There was too much pressure on me. Galliani baptized me as the vice-Balotelli and everyone expected incredible things to happen. I was sent to Sampdoria and had to be saviour of the club, but I was only 18. I am shy and the expectations were eating me up inside. As soon as I did something wrong, I finished the match on the bench. The same thing happened at Latina. At Vicenza, although I did not play much, I learned a lot. Devis Mangia (Ascoli manager) was the first to give me continuity on the pitch.
I endured a difficult summer. There were no demands for me and I wanted to quit. I saw everything dark. Thanks to my mental coach, Roberto Civitarese, he helped bring me clarity and my desire to play returned. Now, I am reborn.
I was not disappointed but I do regret never having been given a real chance at Milan. I happy with the call from Atalanta. They invested a significant amount of money on me and really believe in me.
On it being his destiny to sign with Atalanta:
When I was 9 years old, I was a ball boy for ASD Itala San Marco di Gradisca d’Isonzo. I admired Neto Pereira (Brazilian footballer, now at Padova) and every summer, I would go on trial at Atalanta. Then their Director, Mauro Bianchessi, went to Milan and he took me there along with Bryan Cristante.
On football being in his blood:
My grandfather Francesco was a player, then as a manager, he found Capello and Edy Reja. My father Euro coached the youth. I do boxing and as a child, I did swimming like my mother Alessandra (a professional swimmer) but I only wanted to play football.
On his passion for social media and tattoos:
I use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I like to interact with the fans and also read the insults if things do not go well. I have many tattoos but two of them are special. An inscription in Arabic on my right arm with my best friend Cristante and a portrait of my family that I have on my thigh. Along with my agent, Beppe Riso, they are the most important people in my life and from them I take refuge during difficult times.
On his future goals:
I want to help Ascoli to safety, hit double digits in goals and conquer the U-21 National Team.
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