Galli recalls Gabbia’s journey from Primavera midfielder to centre-back and derby hero | OneFootball

Filippo Galli has lifted the lid on Matteo Gabbia’s rise through the youth ranks at AC Milan, after he scored the winner in the derby against Inter on Sunday night.

Galli retired in 2004, aged 41, and he began a coaching career. In August 2008, he began working for the first team and worked as an assistant under Carlo Ancelotti alongside his former defensive team-mate Mauro Tassotti.

He became a technical assistant under the new head coach Leonardo Araújo after Ancelotti left and then in 2012 began a coaching course in Coverciano. He worked in the Rossoneri’s youth sector and coached the Primavera where he met Gabbia.

Galli spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about his experiences working with Gabbia during his formative years, the roles he had, his heroics in the derby and whether a future with the Italian national team might await.

What can you tell us about his role?

“At the beginning he was a midfielder, we had to convince him to move back into defence and Matteo didn’t take it very well: every now and then he would get angry and fire 50-metre long balls to make us understand that he wasn’t satisfied (laughs).”

As a kid, the further away you are from the opponent’s goal, the more disappointed you feel…

“Exactly. But Gabbia had the characteristics we were looking for in the defenders of the future. Already in those years we wanted to form a style of play in the youth teams that included building from the back, therefore with central defenders with educated feet and a balanced personality. Matteo was the perfect profile.”

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And today he is the man who decided the derby. Did you expect it?

“Well, to say that I expected it would be a lie. But I was sure that he would have a career, because he has always been a boy and then a serious footballer, determined and able to improve over time, thanks also to those who have always been close to him in his growth. Gabbia is like a flower that you have watered for months and months and in the end it blooms in all its splendour.”

He had to sweat a lot to earn a place at ‘his’ Milan. First a loan to Lucchese, then a lot of bench time, then a brief adventure at Villarreal…

“From which he came back stronger, even if he returned after a few months only as an emergency solution due to the the many injuries in defence. Well, sometimes fate is strange, even if in his parable I see a bit of mine as a player.

“Then I repeat, Matteo has always been able to treasure experiences, improving each time. Even at the beginning of the season he seemed like the fourth choice behind Pavlovic, Tomori and Thiaw. Then the pitch began to speak. Gabbia is good at reading and marries wonderfully with a more physical centre-back close by.”

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Today many Milan fans don’t just want him as a starter, but as captain…

“I would love him to be. I have always had a thing for homegrown Milan fans and I hope that Calabria can also overcome this difficult moment. But then there are the dynamics and hierarchies within the dressing room that must be respected and about which we can say little from the outside.”

Spalletti was in the stands at the derby: could we Gabbia in the national team?

“I certainly don’t want to replace the coach, so I won’t go into the merits. I’ll just say that I wish Matteo all the best, even the national team jersey. Those who work hard always get a reward.”