Calcio Debate: Sergio Floccari – Should Italy’s David Villa Be Called Up Against Brazil?

In recent years in Italy there have been a number of late-developers who have gone on to achieve great things with La Nazionale. The two most obvious examples are ex-Palermo pair Luca Toni and Fabio Grosso who, at close to 30, proved to be important protagonists at the 2006 World Cup.

Another player who has the potential to be added to this list is Atalanta’s Sergio Floccari. The 27-year-old is far from a household name, indeed he is a virtual unknown outside the Italian peninsula. Up until the age of almost 23, the frontman had spent almost his entire career in Italy’s fourth division and below, representing Faenza and youth club Mestre.

It was at Rimini where he really started to exhibit his worth, as he led the Emilia-Romagna outfit to successive promotions from Serie C2 to Serie B, helping the club return to the second flight for the first time since the 1970s.

It wasn’t until he was in his 25th year that Floccari had his first taste of Serie A action, as he was snapped up by Messina in January 2006. Despite the Sicilian outfit’s relegation that season, the Calabrian’s classy double against Juventus in a 2-2 draw eventually did enough to convince Atalanta to transport him back to Serie A at the beginning of the last campaign. Floccari had a promising debut season in Bergamo, scoring eight goals in 34 appearances, a figure only bettered by the talismanic Cristiano Doni, as Atalanta finished in eighth position.

I have been an admirer of Floccari for some time now, but it is this term that he has really exploded onto the scene. Atalanta have scored 20 goals in Serie A so far, and Floccari has been responsible for 12 of them, scoring eight times, and providing four assists.

Statistics like this do not lie. However, it is Floccari’s overall play that has really suggested that he has a big career ahead of him. An incredibly skilful and technical player, with strength, personality, a good shot, and a rapid turn of pace – Floccari possesses all the attributes that defenders fear.

As Sergio Stanco, editor of Goal Italia states: “From a technical point of view, he's able to do everything - dribbling, sombrero, assists, and score goals. He also helps his team – him and Doni are a beautiful duo.”

In February, Italy take on Brazil in a prestigious friendly in London. The Italian media have been pushing for Bologna forward Marco Di Vaio to be handed a recall after his incredible renaissance, which sees him top the Serie A scorers charts with 12 goals.

Personally, I would like Marcello Lippi to hand Floccari a chance instead. Di Vaio has had plenty of opportunities in the past to show what he is made of, but he has never really cut the mustard at the very highest level, be it with Juventus, Valencia or La Nazionale. The Roman will be 34 come the 2010 World Cup, so is there really any point looking back into the past?

Floccari will be 28 come South Africa, and at the peak of his powers. The next 18 months will prove whether he will be good enough for this level of football, and it seems almost certain that he will join one of the top clubs in Italy at the end of the season. Only yesterday, Nerazzurri sporting director Carlo Osti confirmed that the player will be allowed to join a big team in June.

Off-the-pitch, Floccari keeps himself to himself, and this is something that Daniele Perticari of Goal Italia believes could harm him.

 “His lifestyle is not like that of a ’VIP’. He is never in the papers, and doesn’t like doing interviews. This penalizes him,” he explained.

Nevertheless, if Floccari doesn’t sell himself through media and marketing, one would think it will be almost impossible for Lippi to ignore him if he continues his current form. The ex-Rimini man has featured in Goal.com’s Team of the Week in two of the last three rounds, while he was an honourable mention last weekend following his brilliant goal at Genoa.

I enjoy making comparisons, and in Floccari I see a few similarities to the 'unknown' David Villa of Real Zaragoza three or four years back. This weekend we should get an even better idea about just how good Floccari can become, when he takes on arguably Serie A’s best defender in Giorgio Chiellini, as Atalanta welcome Juventus to the Stadio Azzurri d’Italia.

What are your views on this topic? How good do you think Sergio Floccari can become? Is he good enough to play for Inter, Milan, Juventus or Roma? Should Marcello Lippi call him up for the game against Brazil in February? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think…

Carlo Garganese