Federico Guidi was named the new head coach of AC Milan’s Primavera side this summer after Ignazio Abate left, and he is very positive heading into the new campaign.
Abate decided to try a new adventure in senior football and Milan moved for Guidi, who was previously at Roma Primavera. He took charge of them in July 2022 and led the Giallorossi to the Scudetto final last season, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana in his spell in charge.
The Tuscan coach has now joined Milan Primavera and will continue the good work done by Abate, having signed a ‘long-term contract. He knows Vincenzo Vergine well too, the director of the youth sector who was also poached by the Rossoneri from Roma in a bid to help overhaul things.
Guidi spoke to Milan TV both to recap the work done under his orders in preseason and also preview the season ahead of the opening game on Saturday 17th away against Udinese.
How do you judge the preseason?
“An extremely positive balance. It was a month of training that allowed us to observe many guys and above all try to make them understand what our principles are to put on the field every week.
“The guys carried out these training sessions with great dedication, with desire and a great enthusiasm was created. In me and in all the staff there is great satisfaction.”
How are you feeling on a personal level?
“I have a lot of desire, a lot of curiosity because an official debut with Milan is something extraordinarily beautiful. And inside me I will try to pass on to the boys everything that I am feeling.
“There must be strong motivation if you take to the field with the Milan shirt. The season begins, now the points are starting to count and never like this year has the league been difficult and competitive, due to the increase in age that makes the league more complicated than last season.
“They have increased the number of relegations and on every field it will be a battle, because every team will always want to do something to achieve the result. And for me the result can only be achieved with performance.”
What is the mission of the Primavera?
“The mission that Milan wants and that I support is to cultivate talent, trying to anticipate it as much as possible. What we started with the First team, with Milan Futuro and the Primavera is a model to follow, the only positive and far-sighted path to bring talent forward in Italy.
“We may be young, but this is not a problem. The important thing is to grow and improve, achieving results through performance. The debut of Milan Futuro in the Coppa Italia was a good omen, we hope to replicate it in the Primavera too.”
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