Cassius Mailula could get more playing time at Toronto FC next season if teammate Federico Bernardeschi leaves the club.
Ex-Mamelodi Sundowns winger Cassius Mailula could be set to receive a massive boost at his club in the MLS following remarks made by the experienced international playing ahead of him.
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In a wide-ranging interview with Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, 29-year-old Federico Bernardeschi openly discussed the struggles he has endured since joining the Canada-based Toronto FC in 2022.
Injuries have disrupted the player’s momentum and the team finished bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference in 2023, winning only four league matches all season.
Bernardeschi, who has been capped on 39 occasions for Italy, joined the side from Juventus last year on a free transfer, and has largely been used as the Reds’ first-choice right-wing, ahead of Bafana Bafana’s Mailula.
The 22-year-old penned a deal with the club earlier this year and has since battled for regular game time, making only three appearances between his arrival in July and the end of the campaign.
He could soon see a spot in the team open up, though, if Bernardeschi’s latest comments are anything to go by.
Speaking in the abovementioned interview, the ex-Bianconeri man admitted he has had issues adjusting to the differences between European football and the sport in North America, ambiguously suggesting he might be part of the “wrong project”.
“It was not like everyone expected, starting from the club. We have had many difficulties, there have been changes of coaches and probably it was the wrong project,” he said.
“Personally, I had a decent season, it was a nice experience in a totally different football, where trips are longer and it’s not simple logistically.
“It takes a period of time to adapt, I’ve learned a lot and finally, I’ve recovered from groin issues after one and a half years of struggles.”
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Bernardeschi also seemed to leave the door open to a potential return to the Old Lady, whom he represented on 183 occasions in his five-year spell at the Turin club between 2017 and 2022.
“I became a man and a top-level player with them and left a piece of my heart there. I’ll always be available if they call. And I still have a home in Turin,” he added.
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