After a horrible 2022/23 campaign, Andrea Belotti has hit the ground running as the new 2023/24 Serie A season got underway, even if AS Roma were unable to take all three points against Salernitana. Il Gallo scored twice on the opening day of the season as Roma drew 2-2 with the Granata. He had another strike ruled out for an extremely tight offside as well.
As many as 476 days had passed since Belotti had scored a Serie A goal, not managing a single strike in his first season with the Lupi, and he hadn’t celebrated scoring in Serie A since his Torino days as far back as May 2022.
Now, though, there’s a feeling in the Eternal City that Belotti might be his old self again, that he might be reborn under Jose Mourinho this season.
“I missed being myself,” Belotti said after scoring twice against Salernitana. “I had a very difficult season [last year]. I didn’t have the right preparation and I had some injuries.
“But this year I started without any hiccups. When I’m 100% I can really help this team.
“My objective for this season is to score as many goals as possible and to help Roma as much as I can.”
Can Belotti be a differential player for AS Roma this season?
A lot of goodwill has surrounded Andrea Belotti over the last 12 months or so. The Italy international is a player whose work rate and commitment can never be questioned, and a lot of people in Italian football would have been pleased to see him end his domestic goal drought on the opening day of the 2023/24 season.
Now that he is finally up and running in Serie A with Roma, there is every chance that Belotti could be a great addition to Mourinho‘s side, albeit belatedly.
With Tammy Abraham out with a serious injury, the Giallorossi are in desperate need of a No.9 capable of performing consistently, and they have been linked with a move for Atalanta‘s Duvan Zapata, who himself has had his last couple of seasons spoiled by regular injury problems, much like Abraham and Belotti.
Having proven his ability and worth time and again with Torino before moving to the capital in 2022, Il Gallo has shown that he has what it takes to perform at a high level in Serie A. Now, though, he knows he has to prove himself again at Roma.
“I know that when I go onto the pitch I have to do everything I can to help the team,” Belotti said.
