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The issue over the lack of opportunity given to Giovinco has been burning for almost two years now. However, Goal.com’s Gil Gillespie is starting to believe that there may be more to the non-selection of the ‘Atomic Ant’ than meets the eye…

When Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara left Sebastian Giovinco out of the starting line-up to play Genoa last Thursday and selected Mauro Camoranesi to play in the trequartista role instead, the snubbing of the young Italian starlet was complete. Despite the absence of both Alessandro Del Piero and Diego through injury, the ‘Atomic Ant’ still couldn’t get a game.

The debate about whether Giovinco should be given more of a chance has, of course, been raging for a couple of seasons now, with the majority of the voices shouting in favour of the impish 22-year-old prodigy. The reason he isn’t being used more, goes the reasoning, is because he is seen as being too young or too Italian. Giovinco himself subscribes to the latter argument.

“If I were from Brazil or Argentina, maybe I’d have more chances to play. I regret being an Italian,” he stated recently.

But Ferrara’s refusal to select Giovinco for the game in Genoa suggests that there is something more than just prejudice against his age or nationality keeping him out of the side.

So what, exactly, could be the problem?

Maybe Ferrara is worried about the youngster’s height and weight. Giovinco is actually taller than he looks on the pitch at 5ft 4in tall, but his physique is more Kate Moss than Maradona. Could it be that the Juve coaching staff are concerned about his ability to cope with the high-impact rough and tumble of the modern game? It’s unlikely. After all, Giovinco is never going to be used as a midfield destroyer and he seems more than capable of spinning, jinking and darting his way through even the most muscle bound of midfield quagmires.

So, if his diminutive stature isn’t the problem, could there be an issue related to his age? Again, this doesn’t seem to ring true. Del Piero made his debut for the Bianconeri when he was just 19-years-old and was included in the starting X1, often at the expense of a certain Roberto Baggio, almost immediately, banging in a hat-trick against Parma in the first game he started. Age surely isn’t the issue, even in a country that considers throwing teenagers into Serie A to be highly irresponsible, except in the rarest of cases.

And Giovinco’s nationality cannot be the problem either. Ciro Ferrara, like every other coach in the peninsula, is in the business of winning football matches, and if he thinks the twinkling boots of the young starlet can help him pick up three points, he isn’t going to stop to consider his place of birth.

Ferrara is definitely not a stupid man and so, if he is reluctant to use a certain player, there must be a logical reason for it.

Could it be that the Juventus coach, like Claudio Ranieri before him, isn’t totally convinced that Giovinco is good enough to make the grade?

On the rare occasions we are allowed to get a glimpse of the brightest light the Italy Under-21 side has seen since Andrea Pirlo, he certainly looks to have more than just a hint of genius in his boots. His technique is impeccable, freakish even. He is quick off the mark and has the ability to slice through packed defences with his impish dribbling ability. Perhaps even more impressively, he can spin away from defenders at the sort of speed you normally find on an ice rink, making dozing centre-backs look about as mobile as passenger ferries.

But there is one question that Giovinco seems less able to answer. Is he a goalscorer? The statistical evidence suggests he isn’t. In 22 appearances for the Old Lady, he has scored just two goals. Okay, so in the majority of those games he has come off the bench, often with only around 10 minutes of play remaining, but Giovinco’s goalscoring record with the Italy U-21 team is even less impressive. He found the back of the net just once in 20 appearances for the Azzurrini.

Now we are not suggesting that goal to game ratio should be the yardstick by which a player like Giovinco is judged – he is a much more multi-dimensional than that – but the business of putting the ball in the back of the net is one of the trequartista’s main attributes. Del Piero does it, Francesco Totti does it, Roberto Baggio did it and new Juventus idol Diego does it too.

“Giovinco is the miniature Del Piero,” commented Dino Zoff about a year or so ago.

Ciro Ferrara appears to disagree.

“He is not and never will be Diego, but that is obvious,” mused the Bianconeri boss recently.

Without actually saying it, Ferrara might have admitted that he doesn’t believe the Atomic Ant comes from the very top draw, as most observers seem to think he does.

Maybe he is an exciting talent, without being an essential one.

So where does all this leave Sebastian Giovinco? The worst case scenario for this impossibly talented miniature superstar is that he stays in Turin, sits on the bench and spends the next five years wondering what might have been. Can anyone really see him getting the nod ahead of Diego this season? How about next season? What about the season after that? Diego, remember, is only 24, just two years older than his so-called understudy.

There is, of course, a risk involved in moving to a smaller club because you might just step so far out of the limelight that no-one can see you any more – for every Antonio Cassano there is a Tomas Locatelli – but surely Giovinco has to take that chance if he is ever to learn how to run in Serie A. He needs to bang hard on Alessio Secco’s door and demand a loan move elsewhere.

The alternative is to potentially waste of one of the most captivating football talents the century has thrown our way so far. And that would be truly criminal.

The match immediately has a fiery start with both teams determined to score the opener and trying to create dangerous situations for their adversaries. In the absence of Diego and Tiago Ferrara fielded Giovicno and Camoranesi from the start with the latter in particular shape as he was definitely one of the best in the match.

On the 5th minute came the first real dangerous opportunity for Livorno as Buffon saves well on a dangerous Lucarelli shot. Two minutes later Camoranesi with a great shot sees the ball going inches wide after receiving from Giovinco. Juventus must only wait for another minute, however before rejoicing. On the 8th minute Camoranesi crosses into the area and Iaquinta heads perfectly into the back of the net! 1-0.

On the 10th minute, Grosso puts a ball into the area but the keeper saves well and seconds later it is Buffon who hands the ball into corner following a dangerous Livorno attack. One minute later, Giovinco with a series of dribbles enters the area but loses the ball at the last moment.

The 14th minute sees Camoranesi who crosses into the area for Trezeguet who is anticipated by the keeper. Five minutes later there is a free-kick for Juve: Camoranesi puts the ball into area but Trezeguet’s shot goes high. On the 24th minute a good cross into the area is cleared by the defence.

One minute later, Candreva makes Juventus fans miss a heart beat as he shoots slightly wide with Buffon beaten. On the 26th minute a Trezeguet first-timer goes wide after a good Juve initiative.

It is the 27th minute when there is a free-kick for Livorno: headed away by the Juve defence. Three minutes later, precisely on the half hour, Juventus score a second. Marchisio enters the area and lobs the ball over the keeper and into the net after receiving from Camoranesi making the score 2-0.

On the 32nd minute a Raimondi header goes high over the post. And two minutes later Buffon performs a miracle on Lucarelli kicking a ball which was destined to the net. From the corner the ball once again reaches the Lucarelli forward who shoots with Buffon performing another great save.

The 38th minute sees a Iaquinta header go high over the bar. Two minutes later, there is a corner for Livorno: Buffon is higher then everyone else and grabs safely.

The referee awards 2 minutes of stoppage time. On the 46th minute there is a free-kick for Juve: Giovinco puts the ball into the area shoots perfectly with the keeper lucky to cradle the ball. The half ends with 2-0 for Livorno.

The second half sees Juventus creating a number of good chances but controlling the match while defending the result. On the 2nd minute a ball is put into the area with Iaquinta who is fouled while trying to head but the referee signals to play on. One minute later, a Marchisio shot is deviated into corner.

On the 7th minute, Buffon performs a spectacular save on a Filippini lob destined to goal. Five minutes later, Iaquinta hits the bar with the flag up for off-side. On the 14th minute De Ceglie comes on for Giovinco.

On the quarter of an hour mark, there is a free-kick for Juve from 35 metres: Camoranesi puts a ball into the area towards Trezeguet who does nit manage to head well. Two minutes later, a Trezeguet first timer with a scissor shot hits the post!

The 19th minute sees a free-kick for Livorno: Buffon saves on the re-bound after Juve had stopped for an out ball. Four minutes later, a Iaquinta shot is put into out. On the 27th minute it is time for a debut: Marrone comes on for an excellent Camoranesi who exits applauded by the public. It is the half hour when the young Juve midfielder wins Juve a free-kick after a great initiative: Grosso’s shot goes inches high.

On the 31st minute, Trezeguet is unlucky as his attempt in the area goes high over the bar. Four minutes later, the Frenchman is replaced by Amauri. On the 41st minute, Iaquinta heads after receiving in the area but the ball is saved by the keeper. Two minutes later Buffon performs another super-save this time on Candreva.

After four minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blows with Juventus taking home their fourth consecutive win (the 6th for Ferrara) and another clean sheet for Buffon.

Serie A 2009/10 – 4th match day
Turin, Olympic Stadium
Saturday 19th September, 2009

JUVENTUS-LIVORNO : 2-0

Goals: Iaquinta (8th), Camoranesi (20th),

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Grosso; Camoranesi (Marrone 72nd), Poulsen, Marchisio; Giovinco (De Ceglie 60th); Iaquinta, Trezeguet (Amauri 80th). Reserves: Manninger, Zebina, Ariaudo, Molinaro, De Ceglie, Marrone, Amauri. Coach: Ferrara.

LIVORNO: De Lucia; Raimondi, Diniz, Miglionico, Pieri; Pulzetti, Mozart, Moro; Candreva; Tavano (Cellerino 69th), Lucarelli (Danilevicius 63rd). Reserves: Benussi, Knezevic, Danilevicius, Vitale, Filippini, Marchini, Cellerino. Coach: Russo.

REFEREE: Pierpaoli from Florence

Yellow Cards: Moro (45th)

Juventus director Alessio Secco is confident that Sebastian Giovinco is as talented as first-team regular Diego.

Giovinco has been under scrutiny after his subpar performance against Bordeaux in the Champions League. Giovinco also took the place of Diego in the starting XI against Livorno with the Brazilian still nursing an injury. Secco insists that having the young Italian in the team is the same as having Diego in the line-up.

“Giovinco has the characteristics to replace Diego, in the summer we wanted to keep him, and we wanted him to stay,” Secco told Sky Sport Italia.

“Younger players always come under the spotlight, especially where you’re at Juventus.”

This is the first section I wanted to open when I created Giovinco Fansite, I couldn’t make it happened cause I couldn’t find enough quotes to open this section.

New section “Quote” comprises both Giovinco’s quotes and quotes about him.