ALESSIO ABIBI HAS already celebrated one of his idols being a hero this summer. Now, he is hoping for a similar impact with Dundalk FC in Europe.
The Italian-born goalkeeper, who has been capped at underage level for Albania, admits to modelling his game on new Paris St Germain signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, who at 22 was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020 following his penalty shoot-out heroics against England in the final at Wembley.
Abibi might be two years older than the former AC Milan player but if he goes on to have even half his career, he will be a happy man.
Dundalk are in the Netherlands tonight for a Europa Conference League third qualifying round first leg tie against Vitesse (kick-off 6pm Irish time, live on LOITV) and while it is some way off the levels of a European Championship final, Abibi is hoping he can shine against the Dutch side just as Donnarumma did this summer.
“I think he’s a great goalkeeper,” he said of Donnarumma.
“I say this for two or three years, not just now. I see Donnarumma as a great example of the modern goalkeeper.
“I tried to learn from him. I spent a lot of times, watching his games, his training. We have similar characteristics, physical characteristics, so the training that he does can be good for me.
“I spent a lot of time studying him.
“Of course I was happy when Italy won. I’m Albanian but I was born in Italy. I grew up in Italy so I have a big influence from Italy in my culture, in my personality. So yes, I was happy.
“I think they deserved to win. At the start of the European games, no one said Italy would win. Everyone was focused on France, Germany, whoever. That’s football.”
Abibi too has been written off at times since his arrival into the SSE Airtricity League at the start of the season.
He came under fire from sections of his own support after a handful of errors early in his Dundalk career but has looked a much more commanding presence in recent weeks since the return of Vinny Perth as head coach in mid-June.
He rejected suggestions that the departures of Filippo Giovagnoli and Giuseppe Rossi from Oriel Park had made things more difficult for him though.
“Listen, I’ve heard this question a lot of times to be fair. I don’t like this kind of question because it seems like I came here because I’m Italian and Filippo and Guiseppe were my friends. It’s not like this.
“They signed me as a professional goalkeeper, I’m here as a professional player, I’m not linked with them, I’m here to play football.
“I was happy with them of course given the communication was easier but still I had Jim (Magilton) after them, now I have Vinny (Perth). I have played for myself first and then for Dundalk and then for the manager, whoever he is. It doesn’t really make a difference for me. The important thing is to work, to grow up and to get results, that’s all.
“I don’t like to judge myself. I prefer that people judge from the outside. I’ll just say that every day I work hard, as hard as possible, to show on match day what I do during the week.
“Goalkeeper is a special position, sometimes it can be good, sometimes maybe not so good but we see even the best like Neuer, Buffon, everybody having good days and bad days. I think a good goalkeeper is the one who keeps building constantly his performances and going game after game.
“I think I am doing a good job, I think I am growing up in a lot of aspects. Vinny is helping me a lot to be more inside the game, build reactions for me, this helped me a lot.
“The modern ‘keeper is not all about the saves and everything, it’s about the sweeping position, or the build-up and everything. This is something that we are working on.”
Indeed, Abibi has praised Perth’s influence in building up his confidence between the sticks.
“We’ve changed the way we are playing,” he said.
“Before we had a period with wingers, and it was kick the ball and play with second balls. Now, Vinny has given us instruction to me first and I’m trying to do what Vinny asked. If I have to play with wingers or full backs, we try to keep the ball as much as possible. I am an important part in doing this as a goalkeeper. I try to do what we try in training.
“Before, our style was different, but when you work with somebody who shows you confidence, who gives you the calmness to play, gives you the proper instructions how to play and what to do in every situation, I think it’s easier for everyone.”
Abibi is expecting a tough test over the two legs with Vitesse but is hopeful Dundalk can upset the side who were fourth in the Eredivisie last season.
“It will be a big challenge of course. Going through in Europe, you are challenged every time by better teams.
“We started with Wales, then a team that was better in Levadia and now Vitesse and we all know the level of the Netherlands football so it will be a big challenge for us.
“Maybe they will not be top form because their season has not started yet. I expect a big European night, as always, but we will try to play our football and then football is football, you never know what will happen,” he said.
Michael Duffy is back in contention for Dundalk having missed the second-round win over Levadia Tallinn but Ole Erik Midtskogen is out while Daniel Cleary remains unavailable despite making the trip to Arnhem.
Eli Dasa, who scored an own goal for Dundalk while playing with Maccabi Tel Aviv almost five years ago, will miss out through injury for Vitesse this evening while fellow right back Romaric Yapi is suspended. Million Manhoef, a 19-year-old left back, will instead play at right back.
Danish centre-back Jacob Rasmussen, who also played against Dundalk for Rosenborg in 2017, will also miss out through injury but new goalkeeper Markus Schubert is available after missing Vitesse’s last pre-season match against Vfl Bochum following an injury in the warm-up.
Finally, Moroccan international Oussama Tannane has been deemed not fit to start by Vitesse boss Thomas Letsch.
