When you follow Palermo, all you seem to read about is Paulo Dybala transfer rumours and how valuable he is.

Instead of boarding the Dybala hype train, you should give props to Palermo’s Italian central attacking midfielder Franco Vazquez, 26, who is largely responsible for Dybala‘s success.

That narrative has been usurped by Dybala being a budding superstar at just 21 years of age.

 

Selective Amnesia

There is no problem acknowledging Dybala is now one of the most exciting footballers in Europe, but do not gloss over the fact that he was once one of the worst centre-forwards in Serie A.

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini risked looking like a fool paying Instituto €12/£9.3 million to sign Dybala.

“We spent €12/£9.3 million for [Dybala, who is] an 18-year-old,” Zamparini said in 2012, per Radio Sportiva (h/t Football Italia). “[Dybala] looks [like a] 15-year-old, but I saw footage of him playing and wanted to sign him, because I can see in him a player who can make the difference.”

Likened to Sergio Aguero, Dybala shied away from the resemblance to a world-class centre-forward.

“I like to be considered Paulo Dybala and that is all. I don’t want comparisons with Aguero,” Dybala said, per Football Italia. “In a club like Palermo, I can really grow as a player.”

In Dybala‘s debut Serie A campaign, he lived up to his words—he was nothing like Aguero.

• Paulo Dybala (2012/13): 3 goals/27 games, 10.3 shots per goal, 35.5 shooting accuracy percentage, 30.6 dribble success percentage, 40.7 starting percentage. 

Here is what Dybala proved in his first season at Palermo:

• Lacked goals.
• Inefficient shooter.
• Unable to consistently take the ball past opposing defenders. 

When Palermo were relegated to Serie B, Zamparini probably wondered if he had signed a flop in Dybala. 

Per Brian Homewood at Reuters: “Argentine teenager Paulo Dybala, heralded by president Maurizio Zamparini as ‘the new Sergio Aguero,’ managed a disappointing three goals in the whole campaign.”

Per Dan Riccio at Sports Net: “Paulo Dybala was dubbed by Zamaparini as ‘the new Aguero.’ The Palermo owner obviously did not help matters putting that kind of pressure on the youngster.”

Per Jeff Livingstone at In Bed With Maradona: “[Dybala] hasn’t looked anything special in Serie B at all. Clearly not the new Sergio Aguero so far then.”

Playing at a lower level in Serie B, Dybala scored five goals in 28 league games, while Abel Hernandez (14 goals), Kyle Lafferty (11 goals) and Andrea Belotti (10 goals) did the heavy-lifting for Palermo.

After two seasons, Dybala scored eight goals from 55 games, costing Zamparini around €1.5/£1.2 million-a-league goal.

Dybala was on course to be to Palermo what Bruno Fornaroli was to Sampdoria, what Caio Ribeiro was to Inter Milan and what Mido was to Roma.

Talented? Definitely.

Consistent? Definitely not. 

 

Kindred Spirits

Palermo signed Vazquez from Belgrano for €4.5/£3.8 million, perhaps hoping he would have a Javier Pastore-like impact. 

“I regret having to say goodbye and leave Belgrano, but I’m sure I will embark on a great adventure at Palermo,” Vazquez said in 2011, per Dia Dia (h/t Livio Caferoglu at Goal). “It is a dream [to play in Serie A].”

Vazquez’s dream turned into a nightmare.

He went 485 minutes without a goal or an assist in his debut Serie A season (2011/12).

The following season, he was loaned out to Rayo Vallecano, where he was a bit-part player and often shafted to the flanks. 

Vazquez started 44.4 percent of La Liga games he was involved in, averaging 42.1 minutes per game and was a peripheral figure throughout the season.

If you reflect back to Rayo Vallecano‘s 2012/13 season, you note Piti scoring, Leo Baptistao boosting his transfer stock, Alejandro Dominguez making Hollywood passes and Lass Bangoura going from goat to hero and vice versa.

Returning to Palermo to play the 2013/14 Serie B season, Vazquez was a role player, rather than a star, during the Rosanero’s promotion to Serie A.

Last May, during Palermo’s 2-1 Serie B defeat to Carpi FC, Vazquez inadvertently sabotaged himself by arguing vociferously towards referee Daniele Minelli.

Red card!

Nineteen minutes earlier, Simone Colombi pulled off an outrageous penalty save to deny Dybala from 12 yards out.

That game encapsulated the hardships Dybala and Vazquez went through trying to vindicate the trust Palermo management had placed in them.

 

2014/15

Prior to this season, Vazquez was a disappointment in Europe, like Dybala.

“I’d decided to go back to Argentina where I had already shown what kind of player I can be,” Vazquez said, per James Horncastle at WhoScored. “Then Iachini arrived and everything changed … he said to me: ‘I don’t get why you haven’t been playing. You’re back in the squad.’ No coach had ever spoken to me like that before.”

Palermo manager Giuseppe Iachini propping up Vazquez’s confidence would then go on to benefit Dybala greatly.

Vazquez is so assured in his technical brilliance that he can evade tackles at walking pace and then hit a through-ball to Dybala.

Thirty percent of Dybala‘s Serie A goals this season have been created by Vazquez, a 6’2″ and 179-pound No. 10, who is a genius on the ball.

Yes, Dybala is an underrated passer for a No. 9, but he lacks the ball-retention, range and vision of Vazquez.

• Franco Vazquez (2014/15): 9 assists/27 games, 45.7 passes per 90 minutes, 1.8 key passes per 90 minutes, 79.2 pass success percentage.
• Paulo Dybala (2014/15): 7 assists/27 games, 33.1 passes per 90 minutes, 1.5 key passes per 90 minutes, 82.1 pass success percentage.

Shooting wise, Vazquez is as profligate as Dybala, whose main job is to score, preferably at a more economical rate.

• Franco Vazquez (2014/15): 7 goals/27 games, 10.3 shots per goal, 30.6 shooting accuracy percentage.
• Paulo Dybala (2014/15): 12 goals/27 games, 8 shots per goal, 35.4 shooting accuracy.

Subjectively speaking, Vazquez is elegant on the ball, runs the show for Palermo and without his creativity, you can make a case based on Dybala‘s history that he would still be floundering. 

Then why doesn’t Vazquez receive more attention? 

The contentious, melodramatic and widely publicised falling out of Zamparini and Dybala dominates the Palermo storylines. 

“We had an agreement with Dybala for €9/£6.6 million-a-year but the next day everything changed … [now he wants] up to €15/£11 million,” Zamparini said in February, per Tuttosport (h/t Sky Sports). “I will not speak to Dybala again. I will appoint a company to negotiate Dybala‘s sale.”

Zamparini disclosing transfer information surrounding Dybala‘s proposed summer transfer window exit further increases media interest in the Palermo No. 9.

“Juventus and Arsenal have already made ​​offers … Dybala would prefer to stay in Italy, but among the English clubs, Arsenal is the first choice of the boy,” Zamparini said in April, per Radio Marte (h/t The Telegraph). “My request is more than €40/£29.4 million.”

Inevitably, you tend to focus on Dybala‘s highlight-reel moments, since you are anticipating him to be a big-money summer transfer.

This minimises the career-best season Vazquez is having.

If Dybala does end up transitioning into a world-class footballer, don’t revise history and say he was always destined for greatness.

He wasn’t. 

Vazquez is playing a crucial, invaluable and undervalued role in Dybala‘s resurgence.

 

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com. 

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