Issa Doumbia goes from Sporting to Italy and some already compare it to Pogba

Athe 22 years of age, Issa Doumbia is living one of the most ‘crazy’ periods of life, and on Monday she had the opportunity to debut as the holder of the main selection of Italy, in the triumph over Turkey, for 3-1, mere four months after it was acquired by Sporting from Venezia, in exchange for a sum of EUR 20.5 million, which may amount to EUR 27,3 million, by achieving objectives.

Roberto Mancini delivered the Costa-Marfine footballer of ancestry to perform in a half-field to three, alongside Nicolò Barella and Alessandro Romano, and he gave good account of the message, to the point that he was one of the best in the field, in the meeting concerning the fourth and foregone last day of the League of Nations phase, which took place at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna.

The praises were not made, they made it wait, in the generality of the transalpine sports press, starting from the very beginning with the television station Sky Sport, who even awarded him the man's prize of the game: “Of the medium, he is the most dynamic. He tested, on a couple of occasions, the progression, leaving the defense well, on one against one, with pure force”.

“ It was caught by the goalkeeper, when he received the ball to settle, with the 2-0, the game, but burned the action that led to the goal of Pio [Francesco Esposito]. The only positive point was that Turkey managed to pierce the block on the side that it defended, along with [Riccardo] Calafiori, to achieve the momentary draw. Exuberant”, he said.

The newspaper Tuttosport, for his part, gave him a 7.5 grade, on a scale from 0 to 10: “It has a remarkable physical presence and the cylinder of a medium assault. He showed muscle against the Turkish midfield, and gave a hand in the penthouse. It also launched in goal zones, but its shot, at 13 minutes, was diverted by [Ugurcan] Çakir, with a hockey goalkeeper defense”.

The journal Corriere dello Sport was more measured in the note (7 out of 10), but equally generous in the words: “Adds substance to the midfield, seeking to learn from those who have more experience than he himself. Gives you strength and speed, plus you get balls back. It had on its feet the goal of 2-0, keeping full of energy until the last moment”.

Finally, the portal Tuttomercatoweb attributed an assessment of 6.5, but with a curious comparison by the environment: “The fires of [Paul] Pogba do not lack it. When it scratches, it always reaches the great opposing area, and in the second part, it even came close to scoring a goal. He wants to feel like a protagonist, and tonight, in the second part, he managed to be a protagonist”.

The accounts of Italy in the League of Nations

After the accounts, Italy concludes the first four rounds of the League of Nations group phase in the second position of Group 1, with seven points, as a result of two victories (both over Turkey, 1-4 and 3-1), a draw (with France, one ball) and a defeat (before Belgium, 0-2).

The leadership is in the hands of France, which adds ten points to 12 possible. Behind Roberto Mancini's men are Belgium and Turkey, with six and zero points, respectively.