Arriving this summer at AS Roma from Olympique de Marseille, Leonardo Balerdi continues to make an impression in Italy. For his first start, Monday against Torino (2-0), the 27-year-old Argentine defender delivered a particularly solid performance. Gian Piero Gasperini did not hesitate to compare him to Franco Baresi after the meeting: “A very strong, modern defender, with exceptional physique and speed. (…) By his way of interpreting the role and organizing the game, Balerdi is an important element”.
La Gazzetta dello Sport And Il Messaggero thus gave him a score of 7.5, qualifying him as a giant after his decisive interventions on Vlasic and Bragança, and also mention “a wall that reminds Baresi of Gasperini”. Same note for Il Tempowho highlights a captain’s performance and believes that his decisive return against Bragança is worth a goal. More measured with a 6.5, Libero nevertheless welcomes interventions worthy of a boss of the rearguard. Promoted to the starting position at the last minute due to Ndicka’s physical problem, the former OM captain already seems to have convinced.
