Jay Idzes: The Silent Leader Helping Sassuolo Secure Their First Serie A Win

When the final whistle blew at the Mapei Stadium, Jay Idzes breathed a sigh of relief. He had just completed his first 90 minutes of the 2026-27 Serie A season, helping Sassuolo beat Torino 2-1 for their first win. But behind that victory lies a story of patience, of a quiet leader slowly finding his rhythm after a long injury layoff. Italian media, especially Tuttosport, have praised the Indonesian center-back, but do those praises reflect his true performance? Sassuolo entered the 2026-27 season as a newly promoted side. In their opening match, they failed to secure a win, and pressure began to mount. In that context, Jay Idzes, captain of the Indonesian national team, returned from a long injury that forced him to miss the entire pre-season. The departure of Tarik Muharemovic in the summer transfer window opened a big opportunity for Idzes, and he was immediately handed a starting spot. In the match against Torino on Matchday 2, Idzes played the full 90 minutes, helping Sassuolo secure their first three points. "It's not that they are weak, it's just that we have never been patient enough to hear them breathe." – this saying might apply to Idzes himself, who had to be very patient to overcome injury and regain form. According to Sofascore data, Idzes had 5 clearances, 2 blocked shots, and 3 recoveries. He was rated 6.6, while Tuttosport gave him 6.5. Notably, Tuttosport specifically praised his leadership of the defensive line: "He leads the defensive line with confidence." This shows that Idzes is not a modern center-back with excellent passing ability, but rather a classic "organizer" – his value lies in positioning, communication, and defensive line management. However, a closer look at the duel stats reveals a crack. Idzes lost 2 aerial duels and won only 1 of 3 ground duels (33% success rate). This is below the average for a starting Serie A center-back. It could be explained by his incomplete physical recovery after the long injury, or it could be a genuine limitation against strong strikers. Nevertheless, the fact that Sassuolo had to absorb constant pressure from Torino (evidenced by 5 clearances and 2 blocked shots) suggests Idzes was primarily in a reactive, deep-defensive role, not dominating the game. Indonesian media, notably VIVA, used the word "Dipuji" (praised) to describe Idzes' performance. But looking at the ratings of 6.6 and 6.5, this was a decent but not outstanding performance. The attention from Indonesian media might be creating a "national hero" narrative that is disproportionate to reality. This could put unnecessary pressure on Idzes, and if he doesn't improve his dueling, he could be labeled a "flop" in the eyes of fans. I have witnessed many Southeast Asian players being overhyped by their home media and then collapsing under excessive expectations. Idzes needs to keep his feet on the ground. Clearly, Idzes is at a disadvantage compared to top Serie A center-backs in terms of ground duels. Can Idzes maintain his starting spot and turn the praise into consistent performances? If he improves his aerial and ground duels, he could become a cornerstone for Sassuolo. But if not, the pressure from Indonesian media and the fierce competition in Serie A will soon expose his limitations. Let's wait and see in the coming rounds whether this "sleeping giant" truly awakens or is just a fleeting spark.