Antonino Gallo

Key strength: Pace and recovery

Overlapping full-back

At the bottom of the Serie A table in 17th position, US Lecce are fighting for survival—and 26-year-old Italian left-back Antonino Gallo finds himself thrust into the thick of it. Despite just a single appearance this season, the €4m-rated defender has already made an impression—though perhaps not the kind he'd hoped for, having accumulated three yellow cards in his 90-minute outing, a disciplinary record that will concern Marco Baroni's backroom staff. Operating as an overlapping full-back who relies on his pace and recovery abilities, Gallo represents the prototype of modern Italian defenders: aggressive, quick, and willing to bomb forward. Yet his disciplinary struggles suggest he's still finding his rhythm in Italy's top flight. With teammates like Ylber Ramadani (70 rating) anchoring the midfield and Lameck Banda providing width on the left flank, Gallo has support—but Lecce's precarious league position means every appearance counts. At 26, Gallo is entering his prime years; whether he can harness his physical attributes while tightening his defensive discipline could determine whether he becomes a regular starter in Lecce's battle against the drop.