There was a name that stuck out to any in the starting line-up for the friendly against Rapid Wien this evening as Paulo Fonseca opted to give Mattia Liberali a chance to show what he can do.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, Fonseca decided to go with a 4-2-3-1 system and there were plenty of candidates for the playmaker role such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Daniel Maldini among others, but Liberali got the nod.
Born in 2007, Liberali has enchanted for the Primavera with his imagination and technique, his dribbling in tight spaces, his movement and his ability to create. In one-on-one situations, he is one of the best young Italians and he is not afraid because he is used to playing against older opponents.
The 16-year-old is from Brianza and played for La Dominante when he was younger, then in 2015 he moved to Milan and also began studying sport science at high school. If you search for him on social media, comparisons with Phil Foden pop up.
Liberali was compared to Foden by Billy Costacurta, who always watches the Milan youth teams and the comparison may seem bold but has a basis: there are similarities in the way of playing, even if Foden has more strength and more acceleration at present.
The teenager is currently a number 10, not a winger, and for many the step to take will be to improve athletically in his change of pace. However, his attitude is spot on according to those who work with him and watch him, so the feeling is he will reach his potential.
Liberali is currently training with the big boys but is more likely to shuttle between the Primavera and Milan Futuro. Fun fact: Milan risked losing him a year ago, in a situation similar to Camarda’s. He was without a contract and Benfica had made him a high-level offer: there was a project ready for him in Portugal.
Milan, with Antonio D’Ottavio working alongside Furlani and Moncada, convinced him to sign on July 18, 2023. A year later, he won a European U17 Championship with a shining role and now is a starter in Fonseca’s first game. A pathway is present, and he sees it.
This guy shouldn’t be compared to foden he was absolutely poor against rapid wien
And because of one, actually first senior (preseason) match in reshuffled starting 11 you decided he’s poor. That’s a brillant take.
If he was poor he was poor. He got muscled off the ball very easily. OP is basically sayi g don’t compare him to Foden who is waaaaay more advance at this stage of his career. Nothing in Libs performance suggests he is anything like Foden
He’s a 17 year old kid with his first showing in senior squad and first match in preseason.
Chill.
That’s just an excuse. If he can’t play against the big boys then don’t play him. Why play and and he gets pushed around all game? There’s no sense in that. Once u put on a jersey and go out to play you’re going to be judged regardless of age. Y’all need to stop nursing these plahers.
Also I did mention the comparison in the article and OP is about Foden not even so much his performance today which was poor. So I dont see how he can even be remotely compared to Foden.
He was poor in that game didn’t say he’d remain poor and with that performance against rapid he shouldn’t be compared to foden simple
Exactly 💯
he is 17 or gods sake
Remember pato 17 yo trashed so many defender
Pato was one in a million. The rest (999 999) aren’t. That doesn’t mean that they are poor or useless though.
Yamal at 17 had rabiot kissing his boots that isn’t an excuse 🙂
He wasn’t poor at all. He was the most active player in the first half and he showed some good positioning and runs. To bad Chuk was playing with his had down most of the time and didn’t pass him the ball when he was making some good runs in space.
Did you watch the match or just the back of the tv his progressive passes were poor his runs weren’t good overall he’s was very poor and shouldn’t be compared to foden
Have you heard of Foden when he was 17?
I bet he scored a hat trick in his senior debut. 🙂
Was foden compared to de brunye when he was 17
Thanks for keeping it 💯. Mostly all players were poor vs Wein. And not that Foden is anything special especially for his country, maybe club. But Liberali is nowhere near that level. Maybe it “looks” like they play the same position but that’s about all in terms of similarities.
And who in their right mind thinks that anyone is saying that Liberali is a player on the same level as Foden?
When people compare a young player with an established player they are saying that they play in some similar way or occupy the same role and that one day the young player can be on the same level as the established player.
Foden, who himself is only 24, is 7 years older than Liberali, who is a kid.
Ah yes bubbles. The non-reader, non-milan-experience, non-sense poster. Talking to u is like talking to a lump it clay.
“And who in their right mind thinks that anyone is saying that Liberali is a player on the same level as Foden?” Did you even read the article? It’s why we’re all gathered here to discuss. Btw GDS, costacurta /s.
“When people compare a young player with an established player they are saying that they play in some similar way or occupy the same role and that one day the young player can be on the same level as the established player.”
He plays the same role / position therefore logic is he can be the same ? Well if that ain’t the dumbest logic. Unless he’s extra special like say MBappe at 17, ppl shouldn’t go around throwing these comparisons out so cheaply. It overrates the young player and devalues the other player being compared to. It’s like dude plays the same position and that’s about it. Nothing in his skillset tells me he’s anything like Foden (who I don’t even think is that great anyway). It’s like saying Torriani is van der sar because he made that reflex save I guess. Or Camarda is like Benzema because he plays the same role and Simic is like Baresi because he plays in the same role and also bombs forward for time to time. Oh wait my bad. That’s too far back for u. Deuces✌️
Finally someone gets it 🧎🏼♂️🤝
Which Foden though? Foden in City’s jersey is a beast. Foden in England jersey was agent 007 this Euro.
Ehn, what is wrong in his comparison with foden? You’re deluded if you think the comparison is about ability. It’s just about the similarities in their style of play and nothing more.
They’re not really comparable, Liberali is about foot taller. Liberali has quick feet, but he’s a bit on the skinny side. I think Scotti is even better. The Primavera and youth teams are stacked in attacking areas.
Phil Foden is the prime example for him. But for his peer, there is one in Italy : SIMONE PAFUNDI, and Corradi the Italian U-23 Head Coach already acknowledge him. But Mattia Liberali still missing some traits than Pafundi.
If i compared Liberali to Pafundi, Liberali needs to have more agility and balance, use his low center of gravity when playing, just like Ismael Bennacer usually did. And Pafundi’s best trait is his vision to point out a vertical passes, and Liberali didn’t show this as his strongest trait. Liberali needs to have a strongest trait to grow from that strongest point : Shooting, Dribbling, Speed, Flair, Tactical Movements ?