A LOVE affair with all things Italian inspired an adventure which saw SA teenager Christian Sotira signed by an Italian club with big Aussie connections.

A graduate of Athelstone-based club Eastern United — after he opted to leave the Skilleroos FFSA development program because it continued to play him in what he thought was the wrong position — had changed the 16-year-old’s philosophy about the game.

He declared he wanted to experience Italian life where his father, Sergio, was born and to see some good soccer before having an impressive run with Serie A club Udinese’s junior sides.

Udinese wanted the youngster to stay, but officials told him he wouldn’t be playing every week.

They subsequently found him another club, US Triestina, which would give him plenty of opportunities.

“I have settled in really well and I’m staying with other players in an apartment near the border of Italy in a place called Muggia, in the Gulf of Trieste,’’ said Sotira.

“I have played a few games here now and I’m really enjoying it.

“I was voted man of the match last weekend in the Allievi (juniors).

“I really wanted to experience Italy. I was born in Adelaide in 2001 and Dad was born in Milan and he told me all about the country and the football.”

The Serie C club US Triestina is jointly owned by Melbourne Victory’s major shareholders, Mario Biasin and Anthony Di Pietro, who bought the club last year.

Triestina was once a formidable Serie A club, and plays at the 33,000 capacity Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste. Sotira said leaving the Skilleroos forced him to seek new opportunities to play and learn outside the cocoon where former Serie A defender Diego Pellegrini nurtured his passion for the game at Eastern.

“I ended up playing about 14 senior games for Eastern United and I was convinced that I needed to see the Italian culture first-hand, learn the language and to play some soccer if I could,’’ he said.

“I came over in July and it’s worked out brilliantly.”