Ex-Bristol City midfielder suffers play-off heartache to former Italian PM’s backed team

Former Bristol City midfielder Ádám Nagy suffered play-off disappointment as Pisa missed out on promotion to Serie A.

Nagy returned back to Italy last summer after being allowed to leave Ashton Gate on a free transfer.

Rather than move to Italy’s top flight like he did with Bologna after his £2.5m move in the summer of 2019, he dropped down a division.

He linked up with Pisa, who also had Reading’s George Puscas on loan for a season, as the pair sought to take the Black and Blues to Serie A for the first time since 1991.

A third-placed finish gave them a good chance of promotion after Leece and Cremonese were promoted.

Nagy however would suffer heartache on Sunday as Pisa lost to fourth-placed Monza, winning 6-4 on aggregate.

Losing 2-1 in the first leg, Pisa had work to do to get themselves back in the tie and did just that, overturning the deficit in the first nine minutes with goals from Ernesto Torregrossa and Hjotur Hermansson.

Christian Gytkjaer’s 79th minute restored Monza’s lead but in the first minute of stoppage time Giusseppe Mastinu took the game to extra time. Nagy’s men would grow tired in extra time though with Luca Marrone restoring their lead before Gytkjaer made sure of the win.

Monza are backed by Finnivest which was founded by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who served in four governments and previously owned European giants AC Milan.

Nagy, a defensive midfielder by trade, played 179 minutes of both matches and will now have to pick himself up and his teammates and go again in a season that began in the West Country.

The 26-year-old spent two full seasons with the Robins and made 62 appearances across all competitions but struggled with injury during his time at City.

The Hungarian international did play a part in City’s Carabao Cup defeat to Forest Green Rovers but was allowed to leave after requesting an early exit, 12 months before his deal was due to expire.

Nigel Pearson though did not hold any animosity towards him and gave him his best wishes once the player departed.

Whilst there was disappointment in Italy for Nagy, it was a season to remember for 2017/18 loanee Tammy Abraham during his move abroad at AS Roma.

The 24-year-old became the highest scoring Englishman in the history of Serie A, scoring 17 goals for Jose Mourinho’s men.

Roma ended up finishing fifth in the league table but won the Europa Conference League, which was Abraham’s second European trophy in a year after winning the Champions League with Chelsea.