FIKAYO TOMORI and Tammy Abraham are best mates, have known each other since they were six, rose through the ranks at Chelsea and are now both in the England squad.
So the fact they will come face-to-face in the Serie A game of the weekend will probably feel completely surreal.
At the Stadio Olimpico this evening, Abraham will lead the line for fourth-placed Roma against second-placed Milan, who feature Tomori in the heart of their defence.
Italy has not always been a happy hunting ground for English players.
But these two are being rewarded for having the courage to make the move, impressing not only their clubs but also England boss Gareth Southgate, who has recalled them both.
Tomori, 23, has become a major player for Stefano Pioli at Milan after sealing a £25million move from Chelsea, following a successful loan.
The central defender made his debut in January 2020 during the troubled Coppa Italia game between Inter Milan and Milan, when Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic went face-to-face in an angry bust-up.
But now, Tomori is a permanent starter alongside either club skipper Alessio Romagnoli or Danish captain Simon Kjaer. If one man knows a good defender when he sees one it is arguably the best of them all.
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Franco Baresi featured 81 times for Italy, played over 700 times for Milan and is now the club’s honorary vice-president.
Speaking to SunSport, the 61-year-old said: “I watch Milan playing every match live and I have to say I am positively surprised by Tomori.
“He has got important qualities and he has done well to involve himself in Italian football and in Milan’s squad — no way is this easy.
“Physically he is very strong and he isn’t frightened of anything.
“That is very important to play in Italy. I would have liked to have played with a defender like him, even if it is difficult to compare two different times in football history.”
This week, Tomori said: “I feel completely involved in this exciting experience and I like so much living together with this group of players.
“Staying in Milan is like being in my home”.
Abraham has also settled well in Italy’s capital under Jose Mourinho.
He scored four goals in his first nine matches for Roma, but tonight will look for his first in six games.
Things have got a bit rocky for Mourinho, but the pressure eased slightly with a 2-1 win at Cagliari last weekend.
On social media, the Portuguese shared a funny picture of himself eating food alone as he was not allowed in the dressing room.
He was serving a ban after being sent off against Napoli.
Like Tomori, Abraham found a queue ahead of him at Chelsea so became frustrated and left in a deal worth up to £38.3m.
Abraham, 24, has only scored twice in Serie A but has hit the bar three times and delivered two assists.
Former striker Francesco Graziani, 68, who played for Roma from 1983 to 1986, is impressed.
The 1982 World Cup winner said: “I like Abraham because he is always fighting hard on the pitch. Tammy is like me as a player.
“He can score many more goals, as he showed in the past with Chelsea. It will be interesting to see the battle between Abraham and Tomori.”
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Abraham has been helped in Roma by former Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, who will miss tonight’s game with an injury.
Having struggled to impress Mourinho at United, history is repeating itself and he is no longer a starter for Roma.
Smalling impressed in his first season in Italy but, unlike Abraham, could be coming home soon.
