Mattia Perin – Italy’s next superstar keeper?

Upon being questioned about recent comparisons between himself and Azzurri legend Gianluigi Buffon, 20 year-old Pescara goalkeeper Mattia Perin uttered a rather humble, amusing response:

“Goalkeepers like Buffon are born once every 40 years. Between me and Gigi there is only a 20 year difference, therefore it is unlikely that I will reach his level.”

It is quite often that young players are hesitant to fully accept being likened to the greats of the game. The expectations that arise from such prematurely concluded correlations are immense in stature and can heap unbearable stress on a juvenile athlete ill equipped to deal with the associated pains of the athletic maturation process. Yet despite Perin’s apprehension, pundits and tifosi the peninsula over will continue to dream of a future of heroism, and not without founding. The truth is the shaggy-haired, baby-faced shot stopper is quite a talent.

The Latina-born net minder cut his teeth at the Genoa youth academy, joining the Grifone ranks in 2008 at age 16 from Pistoiese, and made his professional debut for the Marassi outfit in a 3-2 Serie A victory over Cesena in May of 2011. Perin was loaned to Serie B side Padova two months later, where he eclipsed veteran Ivan Pelizzoli to claim the starting role in goal in the ensuing season, conceding 39 goals in 25 appearances en route to winning the “goalkeeper of the season” title at the annual Serie Bwin Awards with some stunning performances.

Following his achievements in the second division the promising Italian landed in his present situation at the Stadio Adriatico with Pescara, once again on loan from parent club Genoa. Such was Perin’s promise even before the current campaign that Delfini President Daniele Sebastiani recently shared his enthusiasm at the signing by remarking, “I did somersaults in the summer in order to bring him here because I knew that he would play and that we would get value from him.”

Nevertheless, life at a newly promoted side is never easy, as Perin would soon find out. His team would open the season to consecutive 3-0 defeats to Inter and Torino. But despite the troubling results, Perin’s quality shone through the blackness against the Granata with a save on a Rolando Bianchi spot-kick and a number of acrobatic saves to spare his squad further blushes. Week four brought the setback of a red card incurred in a penalty area battle of wits with the experienced Alberto Gilardino, a one match suspension-earning infraction that led young Mattia to watch from the stands in the next round. Almost as if in penance, he would look on as the man he displaced during his wonderful stint at Padova, one Ivan Pelizzoli, valiantly spurred the Delfini on to victory with a magnificent showing in goal.

However, then-Pescara coach Giovanni Stroppa continued to have confidence in his wayward starlet, handing the gloves back to Perin for the Biancazzurri’s encounter with Cagliari. The boss would not be disappointed as his keeper responded with aplomb by posting 9 saves in a 2-1 win over the Isolani, including a pair of splendid reaction saves to deny both Daniele Dessena and Mauricio Pinilla the opener in a testament to his ability.

Week 12 brought fearsome defending champions Juventus to the Stadio Adriatico in a daunting contest played on Perin’s 20th birthday. The occasion would soon degenerate into a rather humbling coming of age for the Delfini keeper, Juventus shot stopper Gianluigi Buffon spending the majority of the match twiddling his thumbs whilst the mighty Bianconeri hammered a resounding 6 goals past his visibly perturbed positional counterpart.

Though as the visitors paraded around the pitch with wide smiles after the final whistle, a rather poignant moment took place that Perin is unlikely to forget throughout the entirety of his career. Buffon strode from his goal line directly over to his downtrodden opponent, embracing him and offering words of encouragement that could only mean so much from a fabled World Cup-winner. Perin would later divulge that the storied Italy international had told him to carry on and never give up in the face of what had transpired on the pitch, and reflected that despite a catastrophic result, he had gleaned something positive from the experience.

Pit falls and plateaus followed for the 20 year-old, as comprehensive beat-downs at the hands of Napoli and AC Milan mixed in with personal successes versus Genoa and Catania amongst other outcomes. However, little could prepare all casting an eye over Serie A for what would happen when the young keeper took the field against Fiorentina this past weekend when the Italian top flight returned from its winter break.

Ninety minutes and an astronomical 15 saves later, the crowd at the Artemio Franchi filed out in stunned silence at what they had just witnessed. Perin’s performance was, in the most simple of descriptions, a masterpiece- one that has thrust him into the limelight with an emphatic statement of exactly what he is capable of. The Delfini custodian was simply unbeatable between the sticks, frustrating Vincenzo Montella’s Viola to the point that they walked away mumbling after each stop, as if driven mad by the incomprehensible exploits of their adversary.

If any had ever doubted Perin’s prospect, they have surely been silenced now following such a display worthy of only the loftiest plaudits. However, we must be wary that heroes are not made overnight- they are blessed with prowess, fashioned by mastery, and ultimately forged in the steadfastness of consistent excellence.

It is always unlikely, as Perin himself alluded to, that any footballer will reach the echelon of superstar. If he hopes to do so, young Mattia will have to carry what Gigi Buffon so simply, yet wisely, told him on his 20th birthday: never give up.

So, I must ask, are we looking at Italy’s next great in goal? He most certainly has the potential, but only time will tell.

You can follow Ian Capasso on Twitter: @capasso10.