MILAN FUTURO'S POSITIVE LEGACY | OneFootball

The extra-time defeat away to ChievoVerona brought the second season of the Milan Futuro project to a close. The young Rossoneri more than held their own in a demanding and highly competitive Serie D campaign, particularly in a group filled with experienced sides well accustomed to the division and boasting greater maturity both in age profile and footballing experience. A fourth-place finish, the best attacking record in Group B, and several impressive results against the division's leading teams highlighted a positive campaign: including the four points collected against Folgore Caratese, who secured promotion to Serie C.

The most important legacy of the 2025/26 season, however, lies in the opportunities provided to so many products of our Youth Sector: from those who progressed through every age category at the PUMA House of Football, to players who came to Milano and joined the Rossoneri during the latter stages of their football education. "I think the season went fairly well, especially since we achieved our goal of helping every one of us improve," captain Emanuele Sala said. "I also think we grew a lot as a group. At the beginning, we needed time to come together: there were those arriving from outside, those who had already gone through the Under-23 pathway and those stepping up from the Primavera, so we didn't know each other particularly well. But little by little, day after day and training session after training session, we managed to become more and more of a team, more and more of a family."

Across the season, 42 players featured for at least one minute across Serie D and the Coppa Italia. Of those, 36 qualified as "Under" players under the regulations of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The youngest age group to feature consisted of players born in 2009, who, alongside their Under-17 experience, had the opportunity to test themselves in senior football. "It's a great feeling seeing them with us," Sala said. "It makes you understand one of the Club's values: helping young players develop and bringing them into the First Team environment as early as possible."

"I went through similar experiences myself, having been helped by older players. Now, guiding younger teammates and helping them make the most of opportunities, settle in as well as possible and making sure we become even more of a team, that's important." With the 2025/26 season now complete, thoughts are already beginning to turn towards what comes next. "I'm optimistic about the future," Sala concluded. "I'm a positive person who always tries to find the best in every situation and every moment. But first and foremost, I focus on the present, on concentrating and training harder every single day."

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