Cesare Casadei: who is the Chelsea midfielder who makes the Italy Under 20 dream

Cesare Casadei, attacking midfielder born in Ravenna on 19 January 2003, is the pride of a battered city brought to its knees by the floods that hit Emilia-Romagna in May. He is playing in a superlative Under 20 World Cup in Argentina. Two goals on debut in the 3-2 draw against Brazil, two goals in the Azzurri’s only defeat (2-0 against Nigeria, who could play in the semi-finals on Thursday), two goals against the Dominican Republic and a goal against both England in the round of 16 both against Colombia in the quarterfinals. Raised in Inter’s nursery, he was sold by the Viale Liberazione club last summer to Chelsea to raise cash. The Blues, who paid him 15 million euros, then loaned him to Reading, in the Championship, in the English Serie B.