CM: Abate meets Torres again nearly a decade on in sold-out Youth League clash

By Oliver Fisher -

A very important day awaits for AC Milan’s Primavera side as they face Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League.

As Calciomercato.com report, the game at the PUMA House of Football is sold out with over 700 spectators expected for the 16:00 CET kick-off, with Ignazio Abate on one bench and Fernando Torres on the other.

The pair were part of the same squad briefly during the 2014-15 season at Milan, and back on 29 September 2014 against Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani it was Abate’s cross that met the head of Torres for his only goal in 10 appearances for the Rossoneri before he re-joined Atletico Madrid.

Almost nine years after that night in Empoli, Abate and Torres meet again but as opponents on the bench. Both retired from football in 2019, and both began their coaching adventure in 2021.

The full-back began with the Rossoneri’s U16 team – losing in the Scudetto final against Roma – before moving up the age groups and being appointed as the Primavera coach last summer. The Spaniard started with the Juvenil A of Los Colchoneros and also made his way up.

The two also share some tactical principles, with a 4-3-3 being the preferred formation for both, and for the away side it is Abde Raihani (4 goals in 7 games) and Adrian Niño (8 goals in 7 appearances in the Youth League) to worry about.

Tags AC Milan Milan Primavera
Serie A Standings

Live football scores . Current table, fixtures & results.