Lorenzo Palmisani’s rise at Frosinone has the feel of a local football story finally reaching its intended stage. The goalkeeper who stood out against Como grew up only a short drive from the Stadio Stirpe, came through the club’s academy and has turned an early change of position on a small pitch in Alatri into a place in the first team.
The coach and the club
Palmisani did not begin as a goalkeeper. As a seven-year-old at Mole Bisleti, the ground near his home in Alatri, he preferred playing in midfield and setting the rhythm of the game. One observant coach noticed how often he left the ground and suggested that he try goalkeeping instead. The child accepted the idea with the uncomplicated enthusiasm of someone playing simply because he enjoyed it.
Those afternoons lasted until sunset, or until his parents called him home. They supported his football without placing undue pressure on him, while Palmisani’s own ambition was always clear: to wear the shirt of Frosinone in the senior game.
His route was not entirely straightforward. At 18, with little opportunity to play, he left on loan. He first joined Olbia, where his performances drew attention and brought him into the youth international set-up. A subsequent spell at Lucchese proved far more difficult, as the club endured a deeply troubled season off the pitch and moved close to financial collapse.
- Palmisani developed in Frosinone’s youth system after changing from midfield to goalkeeping as a child.
- He gained senior experience during loan spells with Olbia and Lucchese.
- Back at Frosinone, Massimiliano Alvini placed his trust in him and gave him his opportunity.
Alvini’s belief has been repaid by a goalkeeper who, despite being only 20, has approached both matches and training with the composure of an experienced professional. Palmisani established himself in the side and did not relinquish his place.
A goalkeeper making his mark
His contribution was central to Frosinone’s promotion to Serie A. Across that campaign, he recorded 15 clean sheets and stopped 80 per cent of the shots he faced, figures that placed him among the notable figures in the club’s successful season.
The next milestones have followed quickly: his Serie A debut, selection for Italy Under-21s for the current camp, and a senior Italy call-up under national coach Silvio Baldini.
Against Como, Palmisani supplied another strong indication of his progress. He was named man of the match after making nine saves, with at least five of them particularly important. In the first half he denied Douvikas in a crowded penalty-area sequence, with the crossbar also helping Frosinone. After the interval, he produced two notable stops from Kean and another from Jesus Rodriguez.
The performance earned him a rating of nine and the match MVP award, but its wider value lies in what it says about Frosinone’s season. The club have a young goalkeeper shaped by their own pathway, tested away from home, trusted by their coach and increasingly capable of deciding difficult afternoons. For Palmisani, the journey from the Alatri pitch to the Stirpe continues to gather substance.
