Torriani discusses facing Haaland and Liverpool, attachment to Milan and Futuro experience | OneFootball

AC Milan goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani has spoken about his rise to playing first team minutes, and the importance of Mike Maignan’s guidance.

It might be fair to say that not many Milan fans knew of Torriani ahead of the summer and more specifically the pre-season tour of the United States. However, the 19-year-old was given the chance and impressed in multiple games.

Above all he saved two penalties in a penalty shoot-out win against Barcelona, which showed that he had the personality for the big stage even if it was just a friendly. The youngster also got a chance in the 3-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League.

Now there is talk of a renewal being imminent for the teenager. In the meantime, Torriani was the latest guest for Milan TV’s ‘Homegrown’ series which takes a look at players coming through the academy, and his comments were relayed by PianetaMilan.

How did you end up at Milan?

“I started playing very early, at five years old in my hometown team. Then I immediately came to Milan. I remember a match, it was a tournament that Cologno had organised and there was this Milan scout who went to my father and told him that they were interested in me.”

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How attached are you to the shirt?

“I feel these colours a lot, because I literally grew up in Milan, I only played for Milan.”

Which goalkeepers have you spoken to? Is there a union?

“The one who has left the biggest impression on me is still here, he’s Mike Maignan. I think that having someone like that who trains with you and explains many things to you both on and off the pitch, I have to say that even today he’s teaching me a lot, he gives me a lot of advice.

“Union is very important between us, in the end as a goalkeeper you’re alone. But I’ve always had a great relationship with everyone, even with Lapo Nava and Noah Raveyre. There’s friendship, I’m happy.”

How do you play the role?

“In this role, 65-70% is very important on a mental level, 30% on a technical level. But I think that if the goalkeeper doesn’t have the mentality for ninety minutes, I don’t think he can reach certain levels. When you don’t play it’s very hard, very difficult.

“I had been without playing for a year and a half due to injuries and choices. I think that the mental state was fundamental for me , I continued to work and I knew that my time would come.”

How did your first team call-up come about?

“It all started during various training sessions in the first team because some goalkeepers were missing, and in the end I managed to seize the moment.

“Before Milan-Genoa the coach called me to tell me that I would have to go down for the video session, and he told me with a big smile. There I thought that it was really happening, first call-up to San Siro, it was an emotion.”

Then, the last preseason…

“The turning point was the retreat at Milanello. I tried to show myself and the coach immediately gave me confidence, which is not easy. In the first match I faced Haaland [against Manchester City, in the USA Soccer Champions Tour], a two-metre tall colossus.

“I have always seen him on the PlayStation, and I must say that in person he is bigger than they say. Really beautiful, a unique sensation. I have always been very calm on the pitch too, in my opinion one of my strong points is precisely that, serenity and enjoying the moment.”

Then you played against Liverpool too?

“A lot of emotion. From the first half you could see that Mike wasn’t well, I kept warming up but I said ‘but no, I’m not going on anyway. But do I have to go on? Damn, in the Champions League against Liverpool I have to go in’. Then it happened, I went in. I remember the ovation at San Siro, it gave me goosebumps.”

You are currently with Milan Futuro in Serie C…

“Many underestimate it but I think it is very constructive for us young players. You play against people who have a lot of experience, it is not easy. It is a different type of football, more aggressive and less technical.

“I think it is fundamental, it is not the Primavera but not even the first team. It gives you a lot of experience, it is a different type of football.”