AC Milan started the new year well: a victory in Coppa Italia's round of 16 against Cagliari.
In the match, Stefano Pioli granted a big chance for the youngsters to showcase their qualities: we are talking about Jan-Carlo simic, Chaka Traoré, Alex Jimenez, Luka Romero from the first minute and Kevin Zeroli as well as Davide Bartesaghi who entered in the second half.
In some cases, as with Traoré who even scored a goal, Jimenez and Simic showed more than convincing displays, writes Calciomercato.com.
Milan can rely on a solid backbone for the future.
The point is that if many youngsters have had the opportunity to debut and make an impact, it's all due to the disastrous injury crisis, which is reducing the senior squad to the bare bones available every matchday.
Emblematic is the case of Simic, scoring on his Serie A debut against Monza, who probably wouldn't have come on if Tommaso Pobega hadn't been injured, maybe not even for the final moments of the game.
Kevin Zeroli against Sassuolo, with Yunus Musah absent and Rade Krunic, amidst back issues and a transfer market that sees him far from the San Siro, not being called into play. Jimenez made an excellent impact (Real Madrid has a buy-back clause on his loan), showing promising progressions and waiting for his chance, like the others.
Before becoming regular members of Milan's squad, however, these youngsters need experience in top-tier football, hence turning to teams in lower leagues, or even abroad, as in Traoré's case, who might go out on loan in the winter market. Yet, there could be an even better solution.
Atalanta and especially Juventus set an example: the Bianconeri's Under 23 team is providing Allegri with interesting material to work on.
Initially, there were Fabio Miretti and Nicolò Fagioli, then the Ciociari for a year, Enzo Barrenechea and especially Matias Soulé, who will be joined by Dean Huijsen, now it's Kenan Yildiz's moment. A team in Serie C allows these players to measure themselves against professional football, closely monitoring their growth, a priority for the youth sector manager Vincenzo Vergine. But first of all, it requires some clubs to waive their entry into the tournament or, alternatively, allow over-enrollment. It is a work in progress, writes Calciomercato.
