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Extended Clip - Who is Nikola Krstovic? Lecce’s Montenegrin Sensation Wanted By Inter Milan (Ep. 360)
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After scoring three goals in as many games in the Serie A, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese do a profile deep dive on Nikola Krstovic, the Lecce sensation who is already being linked with Inter Milan.
This is an extended clip from this weeks free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google podcasts.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
Lecce's Talent Acquisition Strategy
00:00:06
Speaker
Talking of Lecce, with Pantaleo Corvino as their transfer chief, they're always liable to unearth some gems. And it seems that the latest gem they've unearthed is Nicola Christovic, who's a Montenegrin forward, who I don't think anybody really would have heard of ahead of this season. And they signed him in the
The Rise of Nicola Krstovic
00:00:31
Speaker
summer. Corvino scouted him and signed him from
00:00:37
Speaker
the Slovak team, Doonažka. I think it's called Doonažka Streda. They signed him in the summer and he has been an absolute revelation so far this season. And so much so that you can correct me, Inter have sent scouts to watch you play in Monza's 1-1 draw with Lece.
Krstovic's Early Career Achievements
00:01:05
Speaker
They are looking at him. He's only 23 years old. We have to remember, this is the youngest ever goal scorer in the Montenegrin League. He scored, the youngest ever player to appear in the top flight in Montenegro. He made his debut 16 years and 18 days. And then the following year, he scored seven goals in 19 games at the age of 17.
00:01:34
Speaker
And then, of course, before leaving, he became the top goalscorer for them.
00:01:42
Speaker
He was signed by Red Star Belgrade the following season where he didn't really enjoy life. He was loaned out to the second tier. But then he went to Slovakia and he did really well there.
Lecce's Signing of Krstovic
00:02:03
Speaker
He became the top goal scorer there.
00:02:04
Speaker
at the age of 22. So he scored 26 goals last season in the Slovak Super League, or in all competitions, I should say. And then started this season great, scored two goals in his first three games, and then Lecce come up and they snap him
Pantaleo Corvino's Talent Discoveries
00:02:19
Speaker
up.
00:02:19
Speaker
Yeah, Pantaleo Corvino does. He's got his thing about Balkans. He finds gems. You know, Jovetich is a B.I.H. You know, these kinds of players. But it's very interesting. He is a... Did he get Wuchenich as well? Was Wuchenich? Yeah, of course, Mirko Wuchenich. Yeah, Lecha, Mirko Wuchenich.
00:02:39
Speaker
He seems to have a knack for finding these unknown attackers, especially when they're from the Balkans.
00:02:55
Speaker
So could he be the next gem? I mean, I'll be honest, I haven't seen enough of him. I think it's the early days. It's a very interesting
Krstovic's Playing Style and Penalty Expertise
00:03:02
Speaker
player. He's a very explosive player in the sense that you feel him come in there. Do you know what I mean? Like you see him, you know that he's got presence about him. Yes, he's got presence about him in the penalty area. But look, it's still very early days. It's a very interesting side.
Discussion on Penalty Techniques
00:03:20
Speaker
and he plays, and I think he's going to get a few minutes, and he is their penalty taker, and he doesn't mess about with penalties. It's Brexit penalties all the way. He puts his laces through it, son. I love it. Absolutely love it. He doesn't mess about. I love Brexit penalties. It's so good.
00:03:39
Speaker
It was Uncle Shama who came up with that. He started calling me. What's his name? The guy with the glasses who sounds like a Bond villain, the British politician. Oh, yeah, I know. Jacob Rees-Mogg. The one that said he never wants to get married because he doesn't want them to take their money. Jacob Rees-Mogg. He started calling me Jacob Rees-Mogg because I always said that I like penalty takers to put their laces through a top corner. Don't mess about. None of this hop, skip nonsense.
00:04:08
Speaker
And he started calling it and saying it was a Brexit penalty. And then I took that and I started calling it a Brexit football, a leg replay of Brexit football. No, no, Brexit penalty. He does not mess about with penalties. They are always well taken and high up where it's impossible for the goalkeeper to
00:04:29
Speaker
to reach them.
Potential Interest from Inter Milan
00:04:32
Speaker
And he draws attention from defenders as well. His movement pattern is very good. And he's got this kind of... In the penalty area, he was speaking about how it's like penalty box player, that he is a penalty box striker.
00:04:49
Speaker
But it remains to be seen how well he can do and where he can go. But yeah, I know that Inter are looking at him. A big jump up and he's started
Lecce's Unbeaten Run and Strategic Signings
00:04:59
Speaker
so well. And I just feel like these are the kind of signings that we want to see from Serie A teams, rather than signing players that I already know are already being recycled. You already know they're probably not going to be good enough.
00:05:13
Speaker
that is worth taking a gamble on these kind of players and you know when it pays off you know but then that that's what also comes down to the scouting and the data scouting as well as the just the scouting with VI and Corvino is so good at that and you know he's not the only one this summer either is he because let's say I mean Anquist is going to be a great guy a great celebrator you didn't like the celebration I loved it
00:05:36
Speaker
The golf celebration. I don't like the golf celebration, but I like the acrobatic swivel acrobats that he did. There's also the Mohammed Khaba, who's very highly rated, that's come in as well.
00:05:54
Speaker
It's yeah, they're interesting, interesting. And they've had a great, so they're unbeaten. Yeah, in the four games, two wins, two draws. So yeah, they've been a great success story. And Krista Titch is obviously a big part of that. So it'll be interesting to see what his development is from here.