Antonio Raimondo has credited Massimiliano Alvini with changing him as a player after his three-goal performance helped Frosinone beat Sassuolo 4-2 on Friday night.
The striker scored in the 26th and 30th minutes before completing his first hat-trick in senior football in the 57th minute. The result took him to seven goals in seven Serie A appearances and put him at the top of the league scoring chart.
Asked about the goals by Sky Sport, Raimondo admitted that fortune played a part in one of them, but singled out his third finish as the most memorable.
“I was also a little lucky, because the ball went over the goalkeeper and then the goal was empty,” he said. “The best one was the third, because scoring my first hat-trick as a professional is a wonderful feeling. I had everyone sign the match ball.”
Raimondo’s scoring run represents a sharp change from the season before he joined Frosinone, when he managed just one goal across the campaign. He was quick to direct the credit towards Alvini and the coaching staff for the progress he believes he has made.
“The credit for my improvement goes to the coach, because I arrived at Frosinone after a season in which I had scored one goal in a year, and he has really changed me as a player and in everything,” Raimondo said.
“Last year I did well, and working with the coach and the staff there was constant improvement. I have to thank him.”
The hat-trick was not just a personal milestone. Raimondo’s three goals helped Frosinone recover after their defeat by Napoli and maintain an impressive start to their return to Serie A. The forward said the team’s collective spirit has been central to its performances.
“The objective is definitely survival,” he said. “There is a beautiful atmosphere in the dressing room. We are a really united group, we have fun, and I think that shows on the pitch.”
Raimondo also pointed to the identity Alvini has given the side as a reason for their early progress.
“The coach has given us a very clear identity. We try to follow him and bring that identity onto the pitch,” he added.
Frosinone’s immediate ambition remains to secure their place in the division, rather than get carried away by their position or the striker’s personal numbers.
Raimondo’s comments reflected the same measured message from Alvini after the match: the team must keep working, while the forward continues to build on a breakthrough run that has made him one of the league’s most talked-about players.