Milan began their series of pre-season friendlies with a comprehensive 7-0 victory over their affiliate team, Milan Futuro, at the Milanello training centre on Thursday.
The match, a 90-minute run-out designed to build fitness and re-establish synergy following managerial changes at both clubs, saw Andrej Kostic particularly impress. The Montenegrin forward, recently acquired for Milan Futuro, scored in the first half and has reportedly made a strong impression on new coach Paulo Fonseca during initial training sessions.
Ossola, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder developed in Milan’s youth system, also found the net, splitting time last season between the second team and Primavera squad. The second half saw further goals from Samuel Chukwueze, Pavlovic, Francesco Camarda, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fofana as Milan Futuro fielded younger players born in 2008 and 2009.
Camarda’s goal is of particular note, as it provides further data points for Fonseca and the club’s management to assess the young striker’s potential. Chukwueze continued to feature on the right wing in the 3-4-2-1 formation, mirroring his positioning in recent training exercises. Milan will next travel to face Celtic in a friendly match next Saturday, followed by a tour.
The friendly served as a valuable exercise for Milan to integrate new players and assess squad depth ahead of the upcoming Serie A season. Kostic’s performance suggests he could contribute to the first team sooner than initially anticipated, despite being signed for the affiliate side. The club is currently managing player requests through a dedicated “Player Care” initiative, focusing on areas such as housing and personal needs.
