Nicolo Tresoldi hits hat-trick against Inter in emphatic revenge

Turned away by Italian clubs in his youth, Nicolo Tresoldi made a striking statement on Tuesday in the Champions League. The Italian-German Club Brugge forward scored a hat-trick in his team’s 4-3 win away to Inter Milan. It was emphatic revenge for a striker who, in the account of his journey, had failed to find a place at the Italian clubs he tried to join.

The performance carried extra significance against Inter, the great rival of AC Milan, Tresoldi’s beloved club. Italian teams had not been convinced by him during his formative years. Milan, Juventus, Bologna, Fiorentina and Atalanta were among the clubs that turned him down.

The forward also said that AC Milan supporters had fuelled his motivation. “AC Milan fans had wound me up with messages,” he said with a smile after the match. He described his team’s intense start: “We pressed high from the beginning and didn’t let them breathe. For me, it was like a derby, a huge moment.”

Born in Cagliari, Tresoldi also has a family connection to nights at San Siro: his father, Emmanuele, a former left-back, played there three times with his clubs, including Atalanta. After the match, the forward said: “It was an incredible evening, a dream. All in front of my family and friends; I still can hardly believe it.” His idol is Filippo Inzaghi, notably known for his time at AC Milan.

Tresoldi’s path has been an unusual one. He chose football and followed his Argentine mother to Germany, where she had moved for professional reasons. He later represented Germany at U19 level and with the under-21s, scoring 16 goals in 27 appearances for the latter. He has also scored against Atlético de Madrid, Monaco and Inter among Europe’s leading teams.

His Brugge coach, Ivan Leko, says Tresoldi “continues to improve”. The performance against Inter gives that progress added weight: Tresoldi scored three times in a resounding European victory over an Italian club, after being turned away in the country where he was born.