It now seems almost certain that from next season AC Milan will become the third club in Italy to set up a second team in Serie C, after Juventus and Atalanta.
it is certainly an interesting investment from a future perspective, especially in light of all the talents that are emerging from the Juventus Next Gen team and which are allowing the Bianconeri to have a recirculation of excellent young players to join the first team.
New boss picked
As further confirmation of the now clear desire to proceed with ‘Milan U23’, today the journalist Nicolò Schira confirmed the decision of the new coach of the second team. While waiting for it to be official, check out how to buy tickets to the Championship Playoff Final.
“Deal done and confirmed! Daniele Bonera will be the coach of Milan U23 from July,” he said on his X profile. The choice continues to raise the eyebrows of some fans, who wonder why it was not decided to promote Ignazio Abate, who already knows the players who will make up the team very well.
For those who believe that Bonera will leave with Stefano Pioli given that he is part of his staff with the senior side, it must be recalled that the former defender initially arrived when Marco Giampaolo was hired in the summer of 2019, so his loyalty doesn’t belong exclusively to the current boss.
Journey so far
After playing at Brescia and Parma, Bonera joined Milan in 2006 when Carlo Ancelotti was still in charge and he ended up staying until 2015 when he decided to try a new experience with Villarreal. He played over 150 games for the Rossoneri, earning a bit of a cult hero status.
Usually deployed as a centre-back, Bonera also capable of playing as a full-back on either side of the pitch and that made him quite a useful asset for Ancelotti, Max Allegri and those that followed.
As mentioned he returned to Milan as part of Giampaolo’s staff and was kept following the appointment of Pioli as new head coach. In November 2020, after both Pioli and assistant Giacomo Murelli were diagnosed positive for COVID-19, Bonera acted as interim head coach for a couple of weeks.
In charge of three games, Bonera enjoyed two wins and one draw including a rare win at Napoli. He spoke afterwards about what he learned from that experience, something which might factor into the decision to make him U23 head coach.
“Up until that day I lived in a more detached way, not being the first responsible. Being there gives you a great emotion and adrenaline. Different from that of a football player but also similar,” he said.
“The most important phase is that which concerns the preparation. I have to thank the club for providing the technological possibility to always be in contact with the coach.
“Pioli is a coach who likes to share, he wanted to understand what my reactions and those of the players were. He was always present.”
