Italian media slam Leeds United youngster Wilfried Gnonto in 1-0 loss v Norway
Leeds United ace Wilfried Gnonto was slammed by Italian media after Italy Under-21s exited the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship at the group stages.
Gnonto started and played 62 minutes as Italy lost 1-0 to Norway in their final group match of the tournament on Wednesday (28 June).
The Italians picked up just one win from their three matches to finish third in Group D, with France winning topping the table.
Handing the Leeds winger a joint-lowest match rating of 4.5/10, Calciomercato wrote: “Midway through the first half he has a good chance, but entering the area he loses too much time, he doubles up and loses the ball. “Same script in the second half, when he goes to shoot without finding the goal.”
Libero (pages 30 and 31, 29 June) meanwhile gave the Leeds youngster a match rating of 5/10, writing: “Initiative is not lacking, precision in the last play yes, it’s not in detail.”
Corriere della Sera (page 43, 29 June) focused on the winger’s despair after missing an “easy” chance in the match, while La Gazzetta dello Sport (page 7, 29 June) discussed his penalty appeal in the 20th minute as the Whites ace crashed into Norway defender Henrik Heggheim.
The publication noted that there was nothing doing in that clash, which was followed by “very light contact” towards the end of the first half between Gnonto and Sebastian Sebulonsen, with the Leeds man once again not getting a penalty.
Frustrating night
It was a very frustrating evening for Gnonto and his Italian teammates, who will be hugely disappointed at their failure to make it out of the group stages.
It was always going to be a tense night for the youngsters, who lost their first match 2-1 against France before defeating Switzerland 3-2 in their second match.
Leeds star Gnonto found the back of the net just 11 minutes into that game, but he couldn’t repeat his heroics against Norway, who proved stubborn at the back to pick up their first points of the tournament.
That fact alone will really disappoint Italy, who boast a talented team involving plenty of exciting young players.
But they can learn lessons from this failure, and will undoubtedly watch on as the most exciting youngsters in European football battle it out for the top prize.
Gnonto definitely has a bright future ahead for Italy, but his Leeds career remains up in the air.
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