January 11, 2025, entering the final quarter of Empoli-Lecce Kevin Bonifazi would add up his second token in a Giallorossi shirt. An authoritative, quality entrance, in part decisive for the important final success. A piece that seemed the foundation on which to rest his new Salento future swept away, or at least heavily compromised, by today’s news: the former Bologna man is off the list.
Pushing him among the unusable is the latest addition to the Salento winter market, that of Marco Sala. Also over 22 and raised in Italy, the left-back would otherwise not have been able to find space, the generic over-22 list being already full. So the decision was made to sacrifice the center back, a choice that was certainly painful and should be linked to several aspects. First and foremost, the imminent recovery of Gaspar, who could be available as early as Monza, which adds up to the clear preference of Gaby Jean as a replacement for the Angolan and the latest arrivals in the role considered to be of greater prospect, namely Tiago Gabriel and Elijah Scott.
In light of this, it was thus decided to leave out the least used element (excluding newcomers and Fruchtl) among all 17 over-22s and 4 over-22s raised in Italy. There remains, in addition to sorrow for a young man who has been dogged by bad luck in recent years in terms of physical problems, also regret for not taking advantage of his qualities. Barring further reversals and injuries that one hopes will not happen, Bonifazi’s adventure at Lecce is virtually at an end with three appearances, one flash, one at a great level and one disappointing one, at Cagliari, probably also affecting the club’s decision.
The article From Empoli exploit to off-list: Bonifazi’s roller-coaster month comes from Calcio Lecce.
