If this is the future of AC Milan – be it ‘Future’ with a capital F or not – there is plenty of reason for optimism. The team, managed by Bonera, enjoyed a resounding 3-0 victory against Lecco in their first match, marking this exciting new chapter with historical significance as Liberali scored his first professional goal and Jimenez netted twice. This win secures their progression to the second round of the Coppa Italia Serie C, where they will face Novara next Saturday, all witnessed by icons Ibrahimovic and Fonseca.
Milan Futuro’s inaugural match was a solid and enjoyable performance against an opponent who played in Serie B last season. While it was previously challenging to gauge the potential of Bonera’s AC Milan within this context, it is now starting to seem that they have what it takes to compete well this season, with their first league game set for August 25 against Entella.
Bonera’s squad featured a large number of players from the Primavera team for the 2023-24 season. The exceptions included Nava in goal, Minotti in central defense, Bozzolan as left-back, and Sandri in midfield. The rest of the lineup was a 4-2-3-1 formation influenced by Fonseca’s style, with Jimenez on the right, Bartesaghi in the center, Zeroli in midfield, and Liberali, Cuenca, and Sia playing as attacking midfielders, with Camarda as the striker.
All eyes were understandably on young talent Francesco Liberali, a 16-year-old player making his debut. Overall, he held his own well. He was slightly less involved in the first half, often having to drop back to the midfield to get involved. A bit of selfishness was shown during a three-on-one counterattack, but he did produce a good play in the second half that set up a shot for Sandri. However, he finished without scoring.
The Rossoneri clearly aimed to emulate the first team’s style, and they largely succeeded. They managed a few impressive plays to break free from the opponent’s pressure and exhibited some good combinations in midfield, though there were instances of excessive long balls. There were some shaky moments in defense when Lecco increased their pressure. Among the promising players, Liberali improved as the match progressed, adapting to the needs of the game.
Jimenez was fierce in attack, demonstrating sharp defending and dazzling incursions akin to Theo’s style when going forward, showcasing why he is largely considered a first-team prospect. Nava was impressive in goal, making critical saves against Buso – a notable talent – especially a superb stop from a Beghetto penalty kick that proved decisive for the match’s outcome.
The Rossoneri threats began in the first half with Liberali, who almost scored with a shot just over the bar before capitalizing on a major mistake from goalkeeper Furlan, finding the net after the ball fell into his path. He did well to evade a desperate recovery attempt by Ilari.
In the second half, Jimenez sealed the game with a powerful right-footed shot followed by a lovely left-footed finish into the corner of the net. A notable mention goes to a close effort from Nasti that hit the post and an offside goal by Zeroli that was chalked off. With this victorious debut, Ibrahimovic, Fonseca, and Bonera can head home feeling more than satisfied.