Nicolo Zaniolo scored two Premier League goals during his time at Aston Villa last season.
After what was only a loan deal, the Italian joined Atalanta from Galatasaray on an initial loan deal and after injury struggles, he came off the bench to score for La Dea in the Champions League against Stuttgart last night.
It was his first goal for the club and it came at the end of a pretty troublesome spell for the winger.
Gazzetta dello Sport today note that the goal came as a ‘personal joy’ for Zaniolo, who spoke to the press after the game.
He stated that the goal has taken a certain weight off his shoulders.
“It is a great satisfaction. Winning here was not at all a given. In a certain sense, I have taken a weight off my shoulders with this goal.
“I know that I still have to improve and better understand the game mechanisms that the coach wants, but I always train to the max to be ready. This goal is only a first step.”
The ex-Villa man was criticised by Gian Piero Gasperini earlier in the season for not being up to speed but things now look much brighter than they did.
Injuries have been a problem for the winger and they were an issue even at Villa.
Atalanta’s tactical setup allows players to contribute to a lot of goals and if the Italian stays fit, he could really prove to be an asset for La Dea and perhaps turn into a regret for Aston Villa.
