On Friday, 29 December, there was a match of the 18th round of the Italian championship, in which Napoli met with Monza. The Neapolitans failed to win.
Nikita Kontini-Baranovsky
In the 74th minute, the main goalkeeper of the Partenopians Alex Merett was injured. Instead of him Nikita Kontini-Baranovskiy took the field. For the 27-year-old goalkeeper of Ukrainian origin it was the debut match for Napoli. Nikita kept the gate "dry" until the final whistle.
What is known about Kontini-Baranovskyi
- Nikita was born in Cherkassy in the family of a Ukrainian and an Italian from Naples, Pasquale Contini. At the age of 3 years, together with his family moved to Italy.
- He started to play football in the academy of "Atletico Giugliano". In 2007, the young goalkeeper was noticed by Napoli coaches, who invited him to the academy.
- At the age of 18 he signed his first professional contract with the Neapolitan club. However, he failed to make it to the club's centre-back position.
- To get game practice Contini-Baranovski played on loan for clubs in the lower divisions of the Italian championship.
- In the season 2023/24 he returned to Napoli. Note that for the first time Contini-Baranovsky played for Napoli in a friendly match back in 2018.
- Earlier, Nikita expressed his desire to play for the Ukraine national team, but the coaches of the "blue-yellow" never called him to the training camp.