Federico Guidi praised the spirit that his Milan Primavera showed as they battled from a goal behind to earn a last-gasp draw against Club Brugge.
The Rossoneri left it very late in the day, but they ultimately did claim a share of the spoils against Brugge in the UEFA Youth League. After losing 3-1 against Bayer Leverkusen in their second game earlier in the month a result was important, and Lorenzo Ossola’s 95th-minute goal earned a point.
Guidi gave an interview to Milan TV to comment on the performance of the Primavera against their Belgian opponents, and his comments were relayed by MilanPress.
“Today I also like to underline the vision and the luck that these guys have within this club that puts the young at the centre, giving meaning even to those who have less minutes because we are truly a big family,” he said.
“There are many guys who are with Milan Futuro and then come to play, many guys who are with us and then go to play with the U18 which was also created to give meaning to their efforts, their sacrifices and give them the outlet of the match because a player when he is young always needs to play, training cannot be enough. And today [Salem] Albe is the emblem of this.
“The vision of this club that spares no energy to help each of them grow and create as many players as possible to project into professional football. Today Albe is the emblem of this and it is the victory of the entire youth sector of Milan that thanks to the coach and the staff of the U18 who in the daily work spent energy and effort: today Albe came in and did very well.
“We don’t look at where we train, where we play, but we are truly one family that when it takes to the field, it is to honour this prestigious jersey. Then I like to point out Ossola who today found the satisfaction of his first goal in the Primavera, in the Youth League.
“He also makes me smile every now and then, I often get angry with him because in my opinion he is a boy who has a lot of potential and he must be good at transforming it into quality as he did today. In my opinion he has infinite room for improvement. Today he also deserved to score his first brace.
“This is Milan: even those who perhaps have had less playing time up until now, are boys who have potential and in the course of this journey they will find the outlet, the playing time and the meaning of their sacrifices because they are all boys in whom we believe blindly.”