Palestra: ‘I feel ready for a big club, you must have ambition’ | OneFootball

Marco Palestra insists he feels ‘ready for a big club and you must have ambition’ after his Cagliari loan, but was ‘angry’ at first when Atalanta transformed him into a full-back.

The wing-back is a product of the Atalanta youth academy and has flourished during the loan spell in Sardinia, even earning his first senior caps for Italy.

He met with DAZN for their My Skills show and spoke about his experience at the Unipol Domus.

Palestra exploded onto Serie A scene

FLORENCE, ITALY – JANUARY 24: Marco Palestra of Cagliari Calcio reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Cagliari Calcio at Artemio Franchi on January 24, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

“It has been a wonderful year that changed my life,” said Palestra.

“I think it was the best decision I could’ve made in every way. My Atalanta teammates had told me I would not regret coming to Cagliari. You really do feel welcomed here, it is a unique club with an entire island behind it.”

Cagliari do not have an option to make the move permanent, so he will return to Bergamo in the summer.

However, with big clubs like Inter and Arsenal already hovering around him, it is also unlikely that he’ll stay there either.

“I am dreaming of playing for Italy regularly, and I know that it depends on what I do now at Cagliari.”

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina competes for the ball with Marco Palestra of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)

Does Palestra feel that he is ready for a big club?

“Yes, in order to improve, you must have ambition that can take you to become a top player. With every game I played this season, my confidence continued to grow.

“I didn’t expect to be in the Serie A Team of the Season in my first real campaign, I never would’ve thought that at the start.”

He is a very attacking full-back who can play on the right or left, but which does he prefer?

CREMONA, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Marco Palestra of Italy in action during the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match between Italy and Armenia at Stadio Giovanni Zini on October 14, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

“If I had to choose, I would say the right, but I’m fine on the left too. I started out playing in midfield until the Under-17s, then they had a shortage of left-backs due to injuries, so the coach put me there.

“I was really angry at first, I didn’t like it, but after three games I was moved to right-back, and there I realised this could be my position.

“If I had continued as a midfielder, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am now. I wasn’t exactly someone who stood out.”

Palestra is able to play in both roles because he is largely two-footed.

“I prefer to do some things with my left foot, like taking men on, but when it comes to shooting, I’m more right-footed. I try not to think about it too much, that way I can use both.”