UNDER 18, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING READY

In an important season for the Rossonero Youth Sector, given the creation of Milan Futuro and the brilliant Italian results from the Primavera, it's worth analysing the Under-18 side's season. Not so much for the results on the pitch, but the importance of a team that is the final "gateway" from the youngest teams - from the Under-17 side and below, all key players in important seasons in their respective leagues - to the pinnacle of our youth system, represented by Coach Guidi's Primavera and Milan Futuro.

To do so, we turn to Coach Marco Visconti, in his first season as the Coach of the side. "The club wanted to create an Under-18 side to filter as many players as possible into the Primavera", he said. "We have tried to make it so that the players with the most potential for growth play the most games. On a methodological level, it's clear that with such a low number, between players with the Primavera and Milan Futuro, the training sessions are focused more on individual work rather than teamwork, with specific focus on single players". 

"The collective results have suffered, but I think the team has grown through the year", he continued, "but the fact that some of the boys have trained with the Primavera, shows how they have grown and improved. The journey was more complicated, we had to focus on growth from the very start and that's been evident". The growth was not just limited to the players, but also to a coaching staff that experienced major changes in the Summer: "Initially, it was also a challenge for us as staff in terms of methodology, but with time and the help of the club, we managed to track the development of the players. We have grown as well, it's been a collective process", Coach Visconti concluded.

One of the players who has featured the most in the Under 18 team and Primavera has been Salem Albè, a full-back who has featured in some Youth League matches. "Playing for the Under-18s allows me to gain experience and to play crucial minutes, helping my growth. It pushes me to want to succeed and to get into the Primavera side. Training with older teammates and going on away days together as part of the team helps me learn a lot both technically and mentally. At this age, it is important that you know how to seize every opportunity to put yourself in the spotlight". It is also worth mentioning Mattia Cappelletti and Levis Asanji: the German forward has found his own environment with Coach Visconti's Under 18 side to acclimatise to Italian football. 

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