WHILE most youngsters in Italy are dreaming of the San Siro, young Orazio Finco’s heart belongs to Oakwell.

The 12-year-old lives in Bassano del Grappa, around an hour away from Venice.

His friends will be arguing about whether Inter Milan or Juventus will win the Serie A, but Orazio is instead hoping his beloved Barnsley FC will be able to get out of the third division of English football.

His love for the club started when he lived in England for five years and his dad took him to watch the Reds against Millwall at Wembley.

He told the Chronicle: “While living in England, I fell in love with English football, but instead of supporting one of the famous Premier League clubs, I chose Barnsley FC.

“Most of my friends support the biggest teams like Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal but I have always preferred backing an underdog.

“I was drawn to Barnsley because of the club’s hard-working spirit, passionate supporters and the sense of community that surrounds it.

“Even though I have never had the chance to visit Oakwell, I have followed the Reds ever since and hope to make my first trip there one day.”

He admits he gets strange looks when wearing his Barnsley shirts around Italy but says he feels a real connection to the club.

Orazio added: “I own several Barnsley shirts and wear them proudly wherever I go.

“In Italy, and even when I travel, people often give me strange looks or ask why I’m wearing the shirt of a club they have never heard of.

“My answer is always the same - football is about passion, not popularity.

“People often ask why I don’t support my local team instead.

“The truth is that football is about the connection you feel with a club, not simply where you were born.

“Barnsley is the team that captured my heart, and once you truly support a club, distance doesn’t matter.”