PLAYER PROFILE: JULIE PIGA

A new face in the Rossonere backline, Julie Piga made her AC Milan debut in the middle of October - against Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia - after recovering from an injury that slowed down her integration into the team. However, since taking to the pitch, she hasn't been slow in carving out an important role in defence: the pairing formed by herself and Allyson Swaby has stood out for its effectiveness and focus in the last two outings against Como Women and Pomigliano, and this weekend's match against Fiorentina will be another important test.

Born in Lyon, France, on 12 January 1998, Julie has Italian origins. Indeed, her father is from Roccasecca, a small comune in the Province of Frosinone, meaning she's always had a close connection to Italy. In fact, one of her fondest childhood memories is celebrating the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup triumph on the streets of Lyon. She decided to represent Italy and actively made contact with the Italian football federation, who brought her into the Azzurre fold. At club level, the Rossonere are the first Italian team she's played for, making this experience all the more important.

After progressing through Olympique Lyon's youth ranks, she made her top-flight debut in May 2016, shortly after which the French side won the Champions League final in Reggio Emilia. Julie then showcased her talent on loan at Grenoble in Division 2, even if she did suffer a bad injury in November 2018. But Piga is tenacious and managed to bounce back, signing for Fleury in January 2020 and establishing herself in the top tier of French football. Indeed, she became a firm fixture in the backline, missing just three matches across three seasons and helping the team based in Essonne achieve two consecutive fourth-place finishes behind Lyon, PSG and Paris FC.

She then got her chance in her beloved Italy as AC Milan came calling in the summer of 2023, during which she took part in the Azzurre's preparations for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Her story with the Rossonere and Italy is still to be written. "I was injured for two months and this slowed down my integration", Julie said in an interview with Milan TV. "The girls are fantastic and work well together to improve, every day. There is a strong connection between all of us, it's motivating. For me, the squad comes before everything else."

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