“Every day is a survival,” joked Joel Pohjanpalo when describing the traffic in Palermo. “I love driving. Here is something special.”

Those who have spent enough time on Sicilian roads will know what the Palermo striker is talking about: peak-hour madness, vespas zig-zagging, apprehensive pedestrians at zebra crossings and every motorist granted a licence to beep.

Yet, in a country full of delicious breakfast options it is no wonder Italians are fine with bending the road rules to get to their favourite bars. And in Sicily, it has to be granita.

“Of course,” Pohjanpalo replies when asked if he has indulged in the island’s famous delicacy. “My favourite is pistachio and chocolate.”

Consistency has been key to becoming Serie B’s most prolific striker and it is a concept Pohjanpalo lives by daily.

“I always go with my wife and our daughter to the same coffee place, have our morning espresso and a quick chat for 15 minutes about what’s happening today.”

Only then is it time to take on the commute.

“These days I have to drive [Jesse] Joronen to training because he has no driver’s licence. Hopefully one day he will have one.”

Palermo goalkeeper Joronen is not only a team-mate at the Renzo Barbera but the pair are international colleagues with Finland. The friendship has flourished on and off the field as they played at Venezia together and co-own a fitness business. Joronen has been there for the important moments in Pohjanpalo’s life.

“It’s not only a business relationship, we are best friends,” Pohjanpalo explains. “He was my best man at our wedding. He’s a great guy, not just a great player.”

But they can switch gears. “When we enter the pitch it’s purely professional and sometimes we get…” Pohjanpalo uses hand gestures to suggest things get heated on occasion. “He’s a goalkeeper, I’m a striker and it gets very loud. But when we enter the locker room it’s forgotten.”

At the Palermo City Football Academy – the club’s training facility where the forward spoke to Destination Calcio – Pohjanpalo and Joronen allow the spirit of competition to flourish whenever possible.

“He [Joronen] is very good at penalties, always saying he knows me very well. He’s very good at reading me but usually I try to take the piss out of him and do something that I would never do in a game. Then he gets quite mad at me,” Pohjanpalo laughs.

“But you need to be (crazy) to be a goalkeeper. Going there and jumping into an X (shape) when I’m coming to shoot, you can’t be completely mentally healthy to do that.”

Let’s call it courage.

For people in the public eye, bravery, patience and a sense of appreciation are required on the journey home from work. “Palermo is special and meeting the people in the streets – they are so enthusiastic and fanatical about the club,” Pohjanpalo says. “Every day when you’re leaving from Torretta (the training ground), you have people standing in front of the gates to ask for pictures.”

Reflecting on the changes since moving to the Sicilian capital from Venice in January, he added: “I don’t get mobbed but people are bit more enthusiastic in Palermo.”

And with a new club comes a new nickname, with the Palermitani branding Pohjanpalo U Biunu – Sicilian for the ‘blonde guy’.

“Let’s say that with the blonde hair as a man in Sicily, it’s probably not the most common colour – it kind of lights off.”

Thirteen Serie B goals since his arrival has made him a fan favourite. They love him and the feeling is mutual.

“It feels like home,” the 31-year-old says. “It’s been eight months but it feels like home. It’s the welcome that the fans gave me in the stadium and from the first day. It’s been incredible and I hope I can give them some great emotions and great results.”