Several Primavera players got the chance in AC Milan’s friendlies against Arsenal and Liverpool earlier this week. There were three of them, however, that stood out and really expressed themselves on the pitch.
Milan lost both of the friendlies (2-1 and 4-1 respectively) but were able to give the youngsters (and some outcasts) playing time. Performance-wise, there were three Primavera players that stood out a little extra.
Starting at the back, Andrea Bozzolan really impressed as he got roughly 20 minutes of playing in each of the games. Unlike we see with many youngsters that get their first chance, he dared to drive forward with the ball and did very well.
It’s clear that he’s taken some inspiration from Theo Hernandez as he’s also very good at those bursting runs, keeping control of the ball and getting something out of it. It’s still early, but soon he could perhaps become the deputy for Theo.
The second player is Gabriele El Hilali, who got a little more playing time (roughly 55 minutes over both games). He especially impressed against Liverpool, playing with good technique and also striking the bar with a lovely finish. He converted his penalty in the shootout calmly, and it’s not strange that he’s one of the key players in the Primavera.
Finally, we have to mention Marko Lazetic as well. He played 35 minutes against Arsenal and almost the full game against Liverpool. His first touch is especially impressive and his movement is smart, but he’s still inexperienced clearly (lacking a little strength and decision-making).
He scored a wonderful panenka penalty against Arsenal so there’s no doubt he’s very confident, he just needs to take one more step before exploding. Perhaps he can do that on loan.
