Marchegiani urges Vicario to be less ‘angry’ for Tottenham and Italy | OneFootball

Guglielmo Vicario will get his competitive Italy debut tonight, so former goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani outlines the Tottenham man’s strengths, weaknesses and ‘bravery’ moving to the Premier League.

The Nations League match against Israel kicks off at the Bluenergy Stadium tonight at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

It will be his first official game, as his only two previous caps were in friendly fixtures in March 2024 against Ecuador and Turkey.

Gianluca Di Marzio turned to former Italy and Lazio goalkeeper Marchegiani, who works as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia, for more analysis on the Spurs star.

“He is a goalkeeper I really like and he showed bravery making the move to a very complicated division like the Premier League,” said Marchegiani.

“It helped him grow and he also did well to immediately prove he was up to the task. There was some confusion at first in Italy as to whether he could continue the performances at Empoli in a top club, but he proved at Tottenham that it was easy for him.

“I am glad to see Guglielmo work his way up from Serie D to the Premier League and Italy, which is rare for a goalkeeper to not be spotted earlier in his career. He did well not to let his head drop and realise dropping down some divisions was not a failure.”

Where Vicario can improve for Spurs and Azzurri

Vicario has come under fire in the Premier League for his weakness on set plays, also because the type of contact allowed there would probably be a foul in Serie A.

He also has been known to rush to the defence of his Tottenham teammates during scuffles, earning cards in the process.

“I think that his perfectionism, the desire to constantly improve, is a bonus for a goalkeeper, but where he needs to improve is the way he expresses himself,” continued Marchegiani.

“I understand this attitude can help pump him up, but at times he seems too agitated, too worried and too angry. In my view, a goalkeeper at a big club should be a calming presence.”

Italian goalkeepers always tend to be compared to Gigi Buffon or Gianluca Pagliuca, but Marchegiani has a different idea of who Vicario reminds him of.

“He is a very elastic goalkeeper, so in that sense he is a modern Giovanni Galli. Vicario has this ability to pull an extraordinary save out of nowhere that everyone assumes is a goal, but he still manages to keep it out!”