He has changed clubs four times in three years, but no matter the destination, he has impressed Leo Skiri Østigård (22). Now it is Genoese fans who look at the Norwegian with stars in his eyes. And he loves him.
There’s been a lot of lending since he was 18-year-old Molde player, Leo Skerry Ostegaard. Went to Brighton in the Premier League in 2018.
First the Bundesliga 2 with St. Pauli, then directly to the Coventry team, who helped him in the championship. Fans begged him to stay, but Brighton sent him instead to another club for the championship, and Stoke fans loved what they saw of the Norwegian midfielder in 2021.
In January, the flight took off from England and descended on Italy. There it has now become a favorite in Genoa.
– Why are you so loved by fans wherever you go?
The fans are the most important thing in football, we noticed that with Corona, and after that I think it’s important to give back a little bit. There are too many players in the world of football who give too little. Give more, and you’ll go deeper into the hearts of fans, he says.
Pasta and the best of course
Speaking to VG on the phone from Italy, the 22-year-old found himself really at ease – whether on the court, in the locker room or at the dinner table.
Life is beautiful here then. There’s a lot going on in pasta, he says after taking a dose of tagliatelle.
Perfect food after a recovery session.
And the midfielder deserves it as he has played lately. It was Sunday Empoli Who has struggled to get past the Norwegian Bota, was Donat for the fourth time in his last six matches with Genoa.
Earlier this year, he could really introduce himself to the fans in Genoa when he scored in his first appearance in the cup, against AC Milan, at the San Siro itself.
“It was a little kid’s dream,” Ostegaard told VG after that match.
It’s now almost two months now, and while there has been no further fanfare, the Norwegian still has to sway the Red and Blue center back. Two weeks ago, the site chose him as the best player on the field against Inter TMW.
Central to the Genoa defense. He kept the team inside the game, repeatedly stopping the Inter striker. He goes to the field with an unusual approach in his own chest. This was his night! The Italians write.
– I felt before the match that I would play well. Inter are a good team, they were equal with Liverpool in the Champions League, but I turn an extra button against the teams. He says it’s fun to see her work.
There aren’t many players I’m afraid to meet anymore. When you meet such a team, you know that you are good enough. Then you have no reason to be afraid of anyone later on either.
This is how it broke
The duel was in many ways a breakthrough for Ostegaard in Serie A.
But it was not, of course, for the Norwegian to go straight to the Genoa side as a loan player and then break through as one of the league’s most exciting young midfielders.
– You never know when you’ll join a new team. He says there is a lot of applause.
We give him a withdrawal challenge three Reasons for his success in the Italian League:
- “Then I will say the goal against Milan, in fact, in my second game. The first matches are always the most important when you come to a new team, you have to be respected right away, and you get that when you score.”
- “I am brave in the locker room, I do not hide and I dare to talk to people. I dare to be myself, 100% Leo.”
- “Finally, I must say the extent to which the club and the fans have helped. It was almost shocking how kind everyone was.”
Watch what Østigård is talking about here:
Chaos after the transition period
Although he has been at the club for just over two months, a lot has happened since he signed his loan deal in January.
– There was a lot of chaos when (Andrej) Shevchenko was fired. A new coach came in who had almost never trained before and then we made a big difference against Fiorentina (0-6). It was a complete mess, and there was absolutely no plan, he says.
But since then, things have slowly but surely improved with Genoa, although they are still below the drop line. They have not lost since that match against Fiorentina on January 17th. However, it must be said that they did not win any of: Østigård & co. Play six draws in a row.
It was hard to score against us, that’s my job and what we play for, so you’re happy with what you’re defending. But we want to score some goals as well.
The Norwegian actually got the chance to play the last game:
– Yes, it was boring. He made it 1-0 and became the winner of the match. But she was just a few inches away and an idiot on the line stopped him. So it was embarrassing, says a very honest midfielder – who is now back to playing without hair after a few years with a mane.
– It’s really for my mom, she likes my peel more, he says.
last week BravissimoShow host Vigard Olstad and Serie A commentator Mats Arntzen highlighted the Norwegian’s appearance.
– It looks scary! The two said in the studio that he sounds like someone you don’t want to meet.
– Haha, looks more serious, says the Andalusian man with a smile, and continues:
– And then (Fabio) Cannavaro is my great role model, and he played “Skin” too, so it’s good to look a little like him.
Consider residing in Italy
The 22-year-old Norwegian is the property of Brighton until the summer of 2023, the British club deciding Ostegaard’s future, but he loves what he’s seen about Italian football culture so far – and hopes he can move on permanently this summer.
If I had to choose between the Italian league and the Premier League now, I would choose the Italian league, it is the league that suits me well. He says he might stay here sooner for longer than this semester.
For Serie A fans, they have taken Ostegaard.
– I didn’t quite know what it was like in Italy before I came here. It is a great interest. Italians are a little crazier than those in England. You almost can’t walk into town here, I’ve stopped everywhere. He says it’s almost unreal for me.
– So then would you like to stay?
– But I never know, but until the summer I have one year left in Brighton so it’s probably about selling or staying there to play. If I’m not told I’ll have playtime, I’ll probably be sold yes. Italy has convinced me as a country.
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