Laurence Giani explains his path from growing up in Northwich and on Stoke City’s books since primary school to helping Italy reach the under-17s European Championships semi-finals
Stoke City prospect Laurence Giani is going into the under-17s European Championships semi-final with Italy tonight hoping he is picking up things from this summer that will help him for the rest of his career.
The 17-year-old left-back, who grew up in Northwich and qualifies for Italy through his grandad, will line up for Italy against Portugal in Albania (7.30pm) for the chance to play either France or Belgium in the final on Sunday.
It caps a whirlwind season for the defender, who has captained Stoke under-18s, made his breakthrough for the 21s and started training with the first team – being named on the bench for a Carabao Cup game in October.
His priority now is to help Italy retain a title they won last year – and then he can start to think about trying to catch the eye of Mark Robins and continue his progression back in the Potteries.
He said: “We want to show everyone that Italy are one of the best youth national teams in Europe and the world. It would be brilliant to do that again. It gives you an extra confidence boost and shows how much faith people have in you. It’s brilliant, an honour to play for Italy. I know I’ve worked hard for it but I’m also privileged to be in this position.
“We’ve got three wins out of three, beating Czech Republic, England and Belgium. I think I’ve done well overall. In the first game I think we started a little bit nervy but got into the game and scored two goals in quite quick fashion and that got the job done. I didn’t come on in the second game but everyone played really well. In the third game, to finish top, I thought I did better than the first game.
“I would say Samuele Inacio and Andrea Luongo have been our stand-out players so far but everyone has been doing really well. Everyone has worked really hard and we’re a squad, like a family rather than individuals.
“It’s a brilliant experience, more pressure, more spectators. You’re trying to win something as well, which is good. You’re learning, like with different tactics. We play a different formation and change our tactics every game so it’s really good for me in the future.”
Giani got his first Italy call-up in the autumn – he had to fly out the morning after the Carabao Cup game at Southampton – and he has enjoyed getting to taste a different style of football.
“It’s a lot more technical,” he said. “Every player is really good technically. England is a bit more physical whereas Italy is pass, pass, pass. It really helps me learn about the game. It’s maybe slower in the build-up but when you get into the final third it’s one, two combinations and sharp football.
“Hopefully it’s all good things to add to my game by the time I come back to Stoke.”
That is to add to a game which has already been catching the eye at youth level, where he has been building a reputation for his contributions at both ends of the pitch.
He said, when asked to describe his own style: “I’d say I’m aggressive, like to get forward and put crosses in with quality but I like defending as well and I don’t mind putting a tackle in.”
Giani has been on Stoke’s books since he was at primary school and, while teammates such as Sol Sidibe and Jaden Dixon have been in the England set-up, he appreciates his path is a little different.
“My grandad is from Tuscany,” he told the Sentinel from his hotel base in Albania. “It’s surreal really to think a boy from Northwich can end up here but it’s brilliant. I hadn’t been to Italy since Covid but I’d been a couple of times before that.
“A scout got some clips of me, then they came to see me in games and they said they really liked me. So I went over to Italy for a trial, with 60 players all playing against each other. We played two games and after that they said they wanted me to come and play for the actual team, which was brilliant.”
