Samuele Ricci Scouting Report At Empoli 2021/22: A Diamond In The Rough Shining In Serie A – Player Analysis

Who Is Samuele Ricci?

As years have passed, the defensive midfielder role has gone through a thorough evolution within the football landscape.

Once upon a time, players occupying this role were referred to as “water-carriers’  players that may not have exquisite technical ability but did the required running to compensate for creative players’ lack of defensive thrust.

In the modern era, football has undergone a significant transformation, with some defensive midfielders now becoming the focal point of the team rather than a necessary accessory.

Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona and Xabi Alonso of Real Madrid are perfect examples of this tactical shift, and a new generation of players playing pivotal roles at the base of midfield are emerging.

The Premier Leagues Declan Rice and Serie As Sandro Tonali are players making a name for themselves.

Still, another player that should be mentioned within this young-gun catalogue is Samuele Ricci.

Ricci is a 20-year-old defensive midfielder currently playing in Serie A for Empoli.

In his breakout season in the top flight, Ricci has displayed a lot of promise and contributed to Empolis success, as they currently sit in ninth place in their first season after promotion from Serie B.

This tactical analysis and scout report will delve into what makes Samuele Riccis style of play so exciting, besides aspects of his game that he may need to improve upon to reach the next level.

Lastly, I will assess the value he brings to the Azzurri Empolesi.

Samuele Ricci Position History

Samuele Ricci has held a variety of roles in his young career so far.

Throughout the 2020/21 season, during Empoli’s Serie B campaign, Ricci’s position varied within a midfield diamond.

At times, Ricci would be placed as an interior midfielder, either on the left or right-hand side and as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers.

As well, during this season, Ricci would be employed as a number 6 within the same formation.

The U21 international days of being moved around like a chess piece seem to have passed, based on him being a mainstay within Aurelio Andreazzoli’s team.

Not that Ricci has not played in other positions during the 2021/22 season; the difference is that his altering of positions is due to necessity and team rotation rather than him not establishing himself in a position.

The Italian has the technical ability to play further forward, but him playing as the deepest midfielder suits Samuele Riccis skill set.

From that position, he can dictate the play and have the required angles to find passes to teammates, both medium and long-range.

Samuele Ricci Positions And Heat Map At Empoli

Samuele Ricci Style Of Play

As mentioned earlier, Ricci playing as a number six is optimal when assessing his skill set compared to the various positions he has played in previous seasons.

Upon observation, Ricci is a ‘ball