Weekly Italy Youth Report: Alberto Paloschi & Alexandre Pato Score Match Winners For Genoa & Milan Respectively

Serie  A, AC Chievo Verona and AC Milan, Alexandre Pato (Getty images)
Goal.com’s Rick D’Andrea takes a look at the Serie A youth and how they performed over the past seven days.

NATIONAL ALLIEVI: WIN AND FIRST PLACE

"It was a good game between two quality teams. The result was in the balance right until the end, but eventually we prevailed thanks to lads’ organised play, good attitude and determination. I have to congratulate them for their performance”, said coach Cesare Beggi of the Milan National Allievi’s game against Atalanta.With this win, the young Rossoneri have 46 points and have reached the Nerazzurri at the top of the standings. The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th minute, when Cais pounced on a Milan defensive howler following a goal-kick. However, the early goal didn’t paralyse coach Beggi’s lads, who equalised through Boateng on 29 minutes, After the break, De Feo put the Rossoneri ahead with an accurate shot from outside the area. Atalanta didn’t give and managed to draw level temporarily, but Boateng, set up by Speziale, made sure the team from Bergamo left empty-handed. The game finished 3-2 for Milan.

YOUTH TEAMS: TRIESTINA – MILAN 0-4

The Milan Youth Team’s winning streak continued this afternoon, as coach Stroppa’s side won its fourth game in a row: this time, the young Rossoneri beat Triestina 4-0. Santonocito gave the guests the early lead with a long-range shot in the second minute, scoring the only goal of the first 45 minutes. Then after the break, Stroppa’s lads opened floodgates: Rodrigo Ely got his first goal at Milan when he nodded home form an accurate Carmona cross from free-kick on 60 minutes, then it was 17-year-old Berretti forward Antonio De Respinis’ turn. The promising striker, who replaced De Sciglio in the 66th minute, first chipped Franceschin after taking a great pass from Ely, then rounded out the score on 85 minutes, hitting the back of the net following a superb solo effort. After today’s win, Milan have 32 points and move closer to fourth-placed Chievo, who were held to a goalless draw at Padova.The team is due to leave for Tuscany on Monday, after lunch. The Rossoneri are going to play their first game in the Viareggio against Nagoya Grampus at 15.00 CET on Tuesday. The match will be broadcast live by Rai Sport 1.

SERIE A, ROUND 26 RESULTS

MILAN - The Rossoneri beat Chievo 2-1 at the Bentegodi Stadium on the 25th anniversary of Silvio Berlusconi’s Milan presidency. The hosts’ goals came from Robinho (25) and Pato (82).The other results of Round 26 were as follows: Genoa-Roma 4-3; Lazio-Bari 1-0; Parma-Cesena 2-2; Udinese-Brescia 0-0; Lecce-Juventus 2-0 (played today at 12.30 CET); Inter-Cagliari 1-0 (played yesterday); Bologna-Palermo 1-0 (played yesterday). Napoli-Catania to be played tonight at 20.45 CET.

ROSSONERI PULCINI 2001 WIN MILAN DERBY

The Rossoneri Pulcini 2001 side, coached by Valenti, won the Milan derby at Vismara. The match against Inter finished 1-0 for the Milan youngsters, who put in a convincing performance against their city rivals. Midfielder Preti scored the winner, converting a penalty at the halfway point of the second half. With this win, the Rossoneri are still unbeaten in the second stage of the season, in which only the teams with best winter records participate.

PIOLI: "Motivation comes from within"

MILAN - Chievo coach Stefano Pioli has been looking ahead to the match against Milan and said: "Milan are the strongest side in the league. They have the best defence and the best attack but we will find the motivation from within. On paper they should win buy we are starting goalless, it is eleven against eleven and we are at home. We will have to put in a great performance and we wil have to have the desire to suffer."

CHIEVO-MILAN: 21-MAN SQUAD

MILAN - Here is the list of 21 players for Milan's match at Chievo Verona tomorrow:Abbiati, Amelia, Paleari (61), Abate, Antonini, Nesta, Oddo, Papastathopoulos, Thiago Silva, Yepes, Boateng, Emanuleson, Flamini, Gattuso, Merkel, Seedorf, Van Bommel, Cassano, Ibrahimovic, Pato, Robinho.Unavailable: Roma, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, Pirlo, Inzaghi, BoneraNot called up: Vila, Jankulovski, Legrottaglie, Strasser.

MAZZARRI LOOKING AHEAD TO MILAN-NAPOLI

MILAN - Walter Mazzarri commented on the suspension handed out to Ezequiel Lavezzi after the striker was found guilty of spitting at an opponent in the game against Roma. The Napoli coach said: "We have nothing to lament up until now, we are playing clean and relaxed football and we will keep going down the road we have been. In fact, we will be giving that bit more to show our strength as a group, we have done it in the past and we will do it in the future. We will do in Milan and we will do it in Brescia. I am looking for a great reaction from the lads."

Chievo v Milan: 3 of 6

What better way to erase a loss from midweek then to keep the momentum going in Serie A?? There is no better medicine than a win, and putting the aftermath of that match behind us is best for everyone, unfortunately UEFA is yet to doll out punishments so we will have to live to read and hear about for a bit more but the best for everyone is to put some intense focus into the trip to Chievo. Sure they sit 21 points adrift of the top but this is never an easy game, and playing well organized tactically sound teams is always a challenge. I don’t expect Chievo to allow the same sort of space as Parma did, so once again passing and movement will be in the forefront. A win here is crucial as the schedule continues to get congested and the opponents of the challenging variety. As if that was enough, Sunday Milan will pay homage to Silvio’s 25 years in charge of AC Milan, and you don’t want to disappoint the boss on the big day…

Allegri will have his Cup-Tied crew at the ready and I wouldn’t be surprised to see all of them action. A midfield consisting of Van Bommel, Merkel and Emanuelson is not out of the question with Cassano in the hole behind the strikers and Zlatan and Pato most likely up top. You could also make a case for Strasser in the midfield, Merkel in the hole and Cassano alongside Ibra but this point you are splitting hairs. The biggest concern is putting Flamini high up in the stands and Rino a chance to cool it on the bench. Abbiati looks to be OK from the knock to the head and defensively Silva should return at CB. Resting Nesta may not be a bad idea so a back four of Abate, Yepes, Silva, and Antonini seems logical. Antonini is clearly not winning any praise from many of late but being the only left back on the roster save Janks is keeping him the starting lineup, I just wish he would own his position as he did last season. His lack of left foot is painful but tactically he can cut inside and fix this problem instead of looking to cross he can shoot and play the ball to the outside channel with his right foot. There is no reason he can’t interchange with a member of the attack, and if it is not on he can hold his ground as a possession passing option, he just isn’t reading the game as he should but if he simplifies matters this could be corrected.

SOCCER-ITALY/

My goal was to keep this preview short and sweet, but there is one point I want to touch on. Typically I am pretty results oriented, get the three points and get on with it, but outside of the Parma match Milan has continuously looked disjointed and out of ideas in the attacking third. Sure it has a lot to do with being forced to play a CB at CM, but enough with the excuses! I still want the result above all else, but on this day I want to see Milan come out swinging, moving the ball the way they know how, and bury Chievo the way they buried Parma, Brescia, and Bologna. Silence the Allegri critics, who seem to only focus in on the losses, and offer little in terms of reasons for their disdain. Silence the pundits who continue to bash the team for Tuesday, but above all else just remind everyone that this team is not going anywhere in the Serie A. About time to remind the donkeys, and the rest of Serie A, who the Devil is…

devil

Six matches that may decide the Title:

Game 1 Win versus Parma
Game 2 Loss at home to Totts

CHIEVO’S DAILY TRAINING SESSION

MILAN – As reported by Chievo’s official website, coach Pioli’s team had an afternoon practice at Peschiera today. The Flying Donkies worked on both offensive and defensive movements as well as on set-pieces. As explained by the tactician in his press conference, today’s training session and that of tomorrow should determine whether Pellissier, Andreolli and Bogliacino (all three rested yesterday) will be available for Sunday’s game.