Ignazio Abate and his AC Milan Primavera side are in the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League and have really impressed in that competition. And it’s a trophy that the manager deserves, as Luca Antonini argues.
Just like the first team, the Primavera have struggled in the league but have been very successful in Europe. They topped their group which included Chelsea, Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb and knocked out Rukh Lviv and Atletico Madrid in the knockout phase.
Abate’s men will face Hajduk Split in the semi-final and if they were to make it through, then they will face Sporting or AZ in the final. Speaking to Carlo Pellegatti, Abate’s former teammate Luca Antonini only had words of praise.
“We need to compliment him on what he’s doing in the Youth League with Primavera. I’m happy for him. In the youth team, meeting foreign teams is always complicated. Ignazio has left his mark on this team, he’s doing well and deserved to dance to the semifinals.
“I wish him to end the season with a trophy. He’s a very detailed manager, he’s a hard worker, he studies the opponents and how to improve his team. His Milan is a younger team than the other Italian youth teams. He’s growing strong players,” he stated as cited by MilanNews.
Milan Primavera are in 13th place in the league and still need to improve on that front. However, given what they have displayed in the UEFA Youth League, there’s clearly quality there and several players could make the jump to the first team soon.
