Aaron Hickey admits he was over the moon with how his debut for Bologna went and insists having a squad full of English-speaking players has helped him settle in.
The former Hearts left-back, who made the £1.5 million switch to the Italian side last month, shone in Monday’s 4-1 derby victory over Parma.
The 18-year-old earned a standing ovation from the 1,000 fans who were allowed in and was praised by manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, who said: “Hickey has both personality and quality.”
Hickey is determined to hold on to his place for Sunday’s clash at Benevento, with Dutch full-back Mitchell Dijks back from suspension.
But the teenager admits he could not have asked for a better maiden appearance as he became the fifth Scot to feature in Serie A.
Hickey said: “The manager told me before Monday’s game that he had a lot of faith in me, that everyone had a lot of faith in me.
“That was great to hear and I am satisfied with how I played.
“Playing in Bologna is incredible for me, I have the chance to share the dressing room with great champions.
“In the team there are many players from different countries who speak excellent English, this is very important for me, especially at the beginning, to fit in better
“I’m happy to be here, I think it’s a great opportunity for me.”
