Italy coach Antonio Conte has cautiously commented on the three nominees in contention for the Pallone Azzurro 2014.
The Pallone Azzurro is an award given at the end of each year, which praises the best players in the Italian national team, and this year the three nominees are Torino’s Matteo Darmian, Juventus’ Andrea Pirlo and Southampton’s Graziano Pelle.
Conte spoke to the Serie A press, saying that, “Darmian is professionally unexceptionable and as for Pirlo, we are talking about an absolute genius.”
Conte then praised Pelle’s dedication despite his age and the fact that he plays in the English Premier League: “He has shown desire to get a place in the national team, even at 29, by playing away from Italy.”
The 29-year-old made his debut for the national side in the Euro 2016 qualifiers earlier this year, scoring his first goal on October 13 against Malta.
