Focus On | Mattia Compagnon

Verona - In the latest episode of Focus On, we get to know Mattia Compagnon, the Gialloblù’s new attacking winger, more closely. From Udinese’s Youth Sector to his first steps in professional football with Potenza, through his development at Juventus and promotion with Venezia, Compagnon speaks to our microphones about the key stages of his career. A journey through the reasons that brought him to Verona, the bond with those closest to him and his interpretation of a role that he plays with technical quality and a constant desire to take on his man.

This episode of Focus On is also available on Hellas Verona Spotify channel.

Mattia, welcome to Verona. What were your first impressions when you arrived, and how are you settling in during these first few days with your new teammates? "I had a really good feeling straight away, both about the city and the team. I’m very happy to have found such a positive group".

Why did you choose Hellas Verona at this point in your career? What are you expecting from this new adventure? "I think that’s an easy question to answer because, as soon as this opportunity came up, I didn’t hesitate for a single moment before accepting it. What do I expect? I hope to stay here for as long as possible".

Among your new teammates there is someone you already know, Seid Korac, with whom you shared the promotion at Venezia. Can you tell us something about Seid, who we are also starting to get to know over these weeks? "First of all, Seid is a great player: I rate him very highly. As a person, he’s also a wonderful guy, always smiling and good fun. He learned Italian straight away within a year, so now it’s also nice to be able to joke around together. When he saw me, he was very happy and, before I arrived here, he had already messaged me three or four times".

Let’s take a step back. At 18, you left Udinese’s Youth Sector, where you probably felt at home, to begin your professional career at Potenza. What were the first lessons you learned in senior football? "I left Udinese’s Primavera after going through the entire Youth Sector there in Udine. I was in my comfort zone, but when this opportunity came up, I spoke to both the coach and the sporting director and decided to accept the challenge. I also had a really good experience at Potenza. I was very happy there and I can only thank them. In general, I’ve always felt comfortable at every club I’ve played for: I’m a humble person and I always try to adapt. At Potenza, above all, I learned the difference between Primavera football, and youth football in general, and the reality of the professional game. It was a smaller club and our main objective was to avoid relegation. The most important thing was to take things one game at a time and always give everything we had to try to pick up as many points as possible and achieve our goal".

If today you could send a one-line message, just a few words, to the Mattia of 2020 before that move, knowing everything that happened afterwards, what would you write? "I’ve always been very confident in my ability, but today I would tell him to always believe in himself, give everything and remain humble with his feet firmly on the ground".

Is there a teammate you met during one of the different stages of your career who you still consider a true friend today and who you keep in touch with outside football as well? "As I said before, I’ve always got on well at every club I’ve played for. I’ve met some wonderful people and, because of that, I wouldn’t be able to name just one person: there are several people I still speak to regularly".

Is there a coach, a phrase, a concept or something a coach once told you that still comes back to you from time to time? "I’ve learned something from every coach I’ve had and I’ve always tried to put all their teachings into practice. There isn’t one particular phrase that comes back to me, but the most important thing is always to give your very best".

What is the photograph from your career that you would keep framed, and why? It can also be two photographs. "The photograph I’m most proud of is the one I took last year, after winning the league, together with my girlfriend and my family. They are the people who saw me start from nothing, who have always believed in me and always pushed me forward. That’s why it represents the best moment I’ve experienced and it’s something that makes me incredibly proud".

If you could relive just one match you have played, whether it was your best game or perhaps one you played badly and would like the chance to play again for that very reason, which would you choose and why? "One of the matches that has given me the most over the last few years was the final game of last season against Palermo. Just like with the photograph I mentioned before, my whole family was there on that occasion too. Scoring a goal in the final minute in front of the people I love, who have always believed in me through every moment, was an incredible feeling".

Let’s look back at the period you spent at Juventus, where you had the opportunity to train alongside some great champions. What did that experience give you most, from a footballing perspective but above all on a personal level? "It was a really wonderful period because at Juventus there were players like Chiellini, Bonucci, Dybala, Morata and Vlahović. But Juventus, beyond the footballing side, teaches you above all about professionalism and how to conduct yourself. It makes you feel like a man even when you’re still just a kid".

You were surrounded by so many champions. Can you name one or two players who particularly impressed you for a specific reason? "The player who impressed me more than anyone was Dybala. I was always left speechless watching him, seeing what he was able to do on the pitch and, above all, how effortlessly he seemed to do it. For me, it’s definitely him".

Perhaps one small regret from your time at Juventus is that you never managed to train with Cristiano Ronaldo in the First Team. We know he is your idol: what has he meant to you? "Cristiano Ronaldo has been my idol since I was a child. Arriving at Juventus while he was still there and not having the opportunity to train alongside him was the only regret from that period".

Throughout your career you have played in several positions, mainly in attacking areas from the number ten role onwards. Is there one position where you feel you can truly show the best version of Compagnon, or do you enjoy moving around? "Ever since I was young, my natural position has been as a winger, even though over the last few years I’ve played in several different roles. I consider myself a versatile player and I always try to make myself available to the coach and the team. My preferred position, though, remains as a winger".

Speaking of playing as a winger, does it make any difference to you whether you play on the right or the left? What is the difference for a player like you between starting from one flank or the other? "I’ve always played on the left as well, but I prefer starting from the right because I can cut inside to shoot or cross, or I can go down the line on my right foot. Playing on the left is a little more difficult for me, but I can still play there and I’m comfortable on that side too".

If you had to describe your football in three words to introduce yourself to the Gialloblù supporters, which would you choose? "I consider myself a technical player who really enjoys one-on-one situations and likes to look for a shot whenever possible".

What message would you like to send to your new supporters, perhaps in dialect? "Dai butei, che se vedemo al Bentegodi!"