The Italian is set to face off against Birmingham City this weekend.
Pierluigi Gollini of Aston Villa applauds the fans after the game
Aston Villa goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini has been speaking ahead of Aston Villa’s meeting with Birmingham City in the Championship this weekend.
The Second City derby is expected to be a tense affair; especially as former Birmingham City boss Steve Bruce will be in the Aston Villa dugout.
It has led many to question whether some of the foreign players truly understand the importance of the fixture.
However, Gollini insists he is fully aware of how massive a derby game can be, as he played in tough derby clashes between Hellas Verona and Chievo Verona during his time in Italy. He told the official Aston Villa website:
“Now it’s the Birmingham City derby match. We all know it’s a big game – and we know exactly what it means to our fans.
Aston Villa’s Pierluigi Gollini
“It will be a hard match but a good match too – and we will be ready for it.
“The build-up and anticipation is normal for a derby – it was the same for me when I was at Verona. We know exactly how important this game is. We will absolutely give our best. It’s more significant for the supporters – this is normal for a derby match.
“But, also, we are professional players and we have to know what our job is on the pitch – and do our job on the day.”
It would be unfair to suggest if one or the other games was the more intimidating derby fixture but Gollini will no doubt find out for himself this weekend.
The Italian, signed from Hellas Verona in the summer, is a highly rated young keeper in his homeland but has had a mixed start to his career in England – where individual mistakes have cost him at times.
He will no doubt be feeling the pressure when he takes on Birmingham this weekend. Hopefully his experience in Italy can help him deal with it.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
