Guidi speaks of ‘great pride’ ahead of cup final and urges Milan Primavera to show ‘courage’ | OneFootball

Milan Primavera head coach Federico Guidi has spoken of his pride ahead of the Coppa Italia final against Cagliari, urging his team to seize their moment.

Tomorrow will be a big day for the Primavera: at 15:00 CEST they will play in the cup final against Cagliari and they will do so at the iconic Arena Civica Gianni Brera in the centre of Milan.

Entrance to the stadium will be free and the match will be broadcast live on Sportitalia, with Guidi’s side hoping to win the Coppa for the third time in their history and give him his first trophy since joining.

It will be Cagliari (who beat Juventus 2-0 with goals from Vinciguerra and Bolzan) who face Milan (who eliminated Lecce earlier that day, winning 1-0 thanks to Scotti) and they too are hoping to complete a fairytale.

Guidi did a press conference for the reporters who gathered at the PUMA House of Football to preview the game, and his comments were relayed by MilanNews.

Tomorrow is the final act of a long journey. What did it give you and the team? What emotions?

“There is great satisfaction and great pride, because when you manage to reach a final it means that the path taken is exceptional. Reaching the final by beating top-level opponents who are having an extraordinary journey in the league.

“And above all, managing to do it with the youngest team in the league, together with Udinese and Sampdoria, is an added value for our boys: what they have expressed on the pitch is something great. It makes us proud because the path traced is the right one and that we are following it quickly.

“We don’t want to stop: the final must not be enough for us. We must have a strong mentality to overcome the last obstacle called Cagliari: the best defence in the league, an extremely solid team, more experienced than us, very well coaches and that has grown during the season.

“It will be very difficult but we will try to throw heart and soul over the obstacle: difficult to play but equally beautiful and motivating to do so.”

How important is victory in a youth sector’s journey?

“Victory is important when you work in sports: since we were children, we all play sports to excel and beat the opponent. Victory must be used as a tool to understand that their growth is in the right direction, without speculating on opponents or situations on the pitch.

“We try to achieve victory by improving each individual player. Playing this type of match is extremely formative for the boys, on an emotional level you are different compared to a league match, with a different crowd.

“You get used to having eyes on you. We want to lift the trophy that gives meaning to the previous matches.”

What kind of a game do you expect tomorrow?

“Cagliari haven’t lost in about two months, they’ve beaten all the big teams in the last period, they have the best defence: a team that hurts you on set pieces and is more experienced than us.

“They have players with a different physicality and experience. They can hit you if you lose the ball and attack you with great speed: they can hurt you at any moment. We’ll need to be patient.

“I’d like to see Milan play with the same light-heartedness, the same courage, the same mentality that they had in the league games and in those that allowed us to play this wonderful challenge.”

How do you prepare for the match with such a young group?

“We need to convey calm and confidence. I wouldn’t want to see one of my players blocked by the fear of making a mistake. When you arrive here you have to be carefree, you have to have the courage to take risks, to be able to overcome a difficulty.

“The mentality will accompany them in their career: only in this way will you become a top-level footballer. I hope they will play many matches of this level. I hope we will face it in the best way possible so that when we return to the dressing room we will have no regrets.

“Tomorrow we have to do it and then if the opponents have been better, we will accept it and we will shake their hand. We will fight dearly, we want to lift the trophy at all costs for ourselves, for the efforts made, for our fans, for the club. We must put everything we have been through in these months on the pitch.”

And what sensations do you feel?

“Every final gives you very strong emotions, it doesn’t matter if you’ve already experienced them, even if it gives you experience in some episodes and on how to handle some situations.

“It’s my first final with the team of my heart, for me it would be extraordinary and extremely emotional to be able to lift that trophy and see the red and black confetti on my head.

“It would be the crowning of a childhood dream, when I saw my idols, who were van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard, Baresi and Maldini, lift so many trophies. Writing a small page in the history of a wonderful and glorious club like Milan for me would be the greatest victory.

“Of course we will have Cagliari in front of us and it’s difficult. Being able to win with the youngest team in the league would be the greatest feat of my career.”

Have you received any messages from the club?

“There is great happiness and many times there have been expressions of esteem for me and my boys. We are talking about a club that follows the boys 360 degrees and blindly focuses on the youth sector.

“Just think of the debut in the first team of a 2007 like Liberali. If you don’t have a club that believes in it, these things couldn’t happen: this is a strong motivation for us.”