Robinio Vaz and Darryl Bakola find Serie A step tough after OM exits | OneFootball

Marseille cashed in on bright prospects Robinio Vaz and Darryl Bakola in January after their autumn emergence. Since moving to Italy, both have struggled for minutes and momentum.

According to L'Équipe, Vaz, 19, is now at Roma and is set to play on Thursday night in a Europa League last 16 second leg against Bologna. Bakola, 18, joined Sassuolo, without European football and with limited game time in a league that often trusts youngsters less.

Vaz’s February switch was swift and he initially stayed at the Trigoria training base, mirroring his set-up at La Commanderie. He has mainly been a substitute behind Paulo Dybala, Stephan El Shaarawy and winter recruit Donyell Malen, coming on again in Sunday’s 1-2 defeat at Como.

His league minutes barely add up to a full game and he is still waiting for a first goal, though his mood remains upbeat. The €25m fee including bonuses shapes fan opinion, yet he feels the move was right, discovering renowned coach Gian Piero Gasperini after working under Roberto De Zerbi. He has taken a flat and expects family to join soon.

Bakola’s OM high point was a surprise Champions League start at Newcastle on 25 November, a 2-1 win in which he assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. After five Ligue 1 cameos and tense renewal talks, he was sold for €10m. The under-19 international remains positive but Fabio Grosso has used him sparingly, despite help from former OM team-mates Ismaël Koné and Ulisses Garcia.

He has only two late cameos across the past two Serie A rounds, totalling 10 minutes. Watched in Germany, he chose Italy where his model Paul Pogba shone. Versatile in midfield, he sees himself as a box to box number 8, took advice from Koné and De Zerbi, and views Sassuolo as a family club for young players, with his younger brother alongside him, though minutes are still scarce.

Source: L'Équipe