Exclusive Interview: Fiorentina midfield magician Castrovilli discusses his breakthrough season

While the opening game of the Serie A season may not be easy to recall, the night time kick-off between Fiorentina and Napoli remains one of the most entertaining matches of the 2019/20 campaign.

It was one that ultimately ended in disappointed for the hosts, falling to a 4-3 defeat, but for one player in particular it remains a fond memory. Gaetano Castrovilli, at 22, was making his Fiorentina and in turn top-flight debut having spent his career to that point in Serie B.

Indeed, Fiorentina signed the midfielder from Bari in 2017 before loaning the youngster out to Cremonese for the next two seasons. While Castrovilli would become a key player for the latter, many would have been surprised to see him slot straight into Vincenzo Montella’s starting XI from the very first game of the campaign.

We spoke with one of the breakthrough stars in Europe this season on his season thus far and the factors that have enabled him to transition from second division youngster to Serie A star and full Italy international.

It’s immediately apparent that, while making a top-flight debut at 22 seems relatively late nowadays, Castrovilli feels his grounding in Serie B has provided the real platform for his success. “I'm sure of this”, he confirms. “Playing several seasons in Serie B has given me a lot of experience and now I can take advantage of it in a very difficult league like Serie A.

He admits that the transition hasn’t been as easy as his performances have made it appear, too. “Serie B is a very difficult league, but Serie A is really another kettle of fish. Many top players play in Serie A and every team, even those among the apparent weakest, can be very dangerous. In Serie A there is an intensity and a tactic that is difficult to replicate in the minor leagues and also technically, the players who play in this league are all very prepared.”

However, technique isn’t an aspect of his game in which Castrovilli is lacking. Growing up as an AC Milan he idolised the likes of Kaka and Ronaldinho, stating “we are talking about outstanding champions. Since I was a child I have looked at them with great admiration. They were players with incredible technique capable of changing the destiny of a game by themselves.”

While reluctant to claim that he has emulated either of the Brazilians’ playing styles, the flair to the midfielder’s game has made him an instant fan favourite. Indeed, the 23-year-old has completed the second most dribbles in Serie A this season (76), and his balance and poise have been a joy to watch.

A keen dancer growing up, Castrovilli thinks some transferrable skills have helped him to become so effective at manoeuvring clear of his opponents. “Dance is a great passion of mine”, he says. “I'm sure that love for dance somehow affects my movements on the pitch.

“Certainly the balance and some movements you make when you are dancing can somehow be similar to what you do when you play football. Actually, when you are on the pitch it's not that you think about this or that movement, it's more a matter of instinct.”

Another factor that has helped the midfielder develop his game has been the influence of a high profile new face. “It is an incredible honour for me to play with a phenomenon like Franck Ribery, I am lucky to do that. Franck gives me a lot of advice and thanks to his help, I am sure I can improve a lot.”

While his dribbling has been a standout memory for the Viola fans, Castrovilli has highlights of his own that he remembers with great pride. Alongside said Fiorentina debut against Napoli, his first goal in the famous shirt is a moment he still hasn’t quite come to terms with. It came, inevitably, against his boyhood club AC Milan at the end of September.

“I think I haven’t still realized what happened”, he admits. “Despite many months passing, this moment still conjures a lot of emotions. Scoring my first goal in Serie A, against Milan in a stadium like San Siro represents the fulfilment of a dream.”

The third game he picks out among his best moments of the season is the meeting with Sassuolo away from home in late October, “not only scoring a goal but changing a game we were losing.” Just ahead of said match in Milan (8.30 rating), it is his top rated performance in a Fiorentina shirt to date (8.85), netting the equaliser before assisting Nikola Milenkovic’s winner.

With a further five dribbles and three tackles it was the sort of complete performance that earned him an international call up from Roberto Mancini. Castrovilli admits that the enforced postponement of Euro 2020 could give him an even stronger chance of making the cut next year.

“For young players like me, it certainly could be an opportunity. We have more time to demonstrate our qualities and it would be a dream for me to be able to participate in the European Championships.”

At the same time he is well aware that competition for places is arguably stronger now than in recent seasons, with Mancini not short of options in midfield in particular.

“Luckily Italy is full of young and talented midfielders. This competition between us is useful for everyone in order to grow because it stimulates us to give our best and ultimately is good for progression of the national team.”

For the time being, Castrovilli is focused on a return to football with Fiorentina, and finishing a season in which he was named among WhoScored’s ‘Best Newcomer XI’ as strongly as he has performed to date.

“I am still young and I have many things to improve. I have to work a lot, I hope I can have a lot of great memories in the Fiorentina shirt and I would like to play the European Cups.”

The latter seems an inevitability should the midfield maestro continue to develop as he has this season. In a season of ups and downs and inconsistency at times, Castrovilli’s box of tricks have been a real treat.