Guglielmo Vicario Italy (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Guglielmo Vicario will make his competitive debut in Italy this evening. Former goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani explains the Tottenham player's strengths, weaknesses and 'bravery' as he moves to the Premier League.

The Nations League match against Israel starts at 7.45pm UK time (6.45pm GMT) at Bluenergy Stadium this evening.

It will be his first official game, as his only two previous appearances came in friendlies against Ecuador and Turkey in March 2024.

Gianluca Di Marzio turned to former Italy and Lazio goalkeeper Marchegiani, who works as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia, for further analysis on the Spurs star.

“He is a goalkeeper that I really like and he showed courage by moving to a very complicated league like the Premier League,” Marchegiani said.

“It helped him to develop further and it was also good for him to immediately prove that he was up to the task.” There was initially some uncertainty in Italy as to whether he could continue Empoli's performance at a top club, but he did At Tottenham he proved that it was easy for him.

“I am delighted that Guglielmo is working his way up from Serie D to the Premier League and Italy, which is rare for a goalkeeper not to be discovered earlier in his career. He did well not to let his head down and to realize that relegation in some divisions was not a failure.”

Where Vicario can improve for Spurs and Azzurri

Vicario has come under criticism in the Premier League for his weakness at set pieces, also because the type of contact allowed there would likely be a foul in Serie A.

He has also been known to rush to the aid of his Tottenham teammates in scuffles and earn cards in the process.

“I think that his perfectionism, the desire to constantly improve, is a bonus for a goalkeeper, but where he needs to improve is the way he expresses himself,” Marchegiani continued.

“I understand that this attitude can cheer him up, but sometimes he seems too excited, too worried and too angry. In my opinion, a goalkeeper at a big club should have a calming effect.”

Italian goalkeepers are always compared to Gigi Buffon or Gianluca Pagliuca, but Marchegiani has a different idea of ​​who Vicario reminds him of.

“He is a very elastic goalkeeper, in that sense he is a modern Giovanni Galli. Vicario has the ability to make an extraordinary save out of nothing that everyone assumes is a goal, but he still manages to keep it out!”