Balzan Youths to host Milan Academy players

Balzan Youths FC will be hosting three young players from the Milan Academy in Sydney for training in December and January under the watchful eye of experienced AC Milan youth coach Elio Garavaglia.

Garavaglia will travel from Milan where he has been based these past 20 years. At present, he is the assistant to another Milan great, Filippo Galli, who is in charge of the Rossoneri U-18 squad.

During his stay here, Garavaglia, who came through the AC Milan youth system, will assess the three teenagers from the Australia Academy, one of whom is of Maltese origins. He will also take charge of all Balzan and Sta Luċija youth teams before returning to the Milan fold in late January.

Australia-based Anton Tagliaferro was the brains behind the Milan-Balzan Youths FC link.

He is the Milan Academy director in Australia and a former Balzan Youths player himself. In fact, he is honorary president of the Division One club.

Tagliaferro will accompany the boys to Malta after receiving the go-ahead from AC Milan’s youth head of coaching Filippo Galli. They will be here on Saturday.

“Thanks to the close connections I have established with AC Milan over the last decade, I am hoping to take on similar projects in future, involving my two favourite clubs – Balzan Youths and AC Milan,” Tagliaferro said.

Balzan Youths will soon inaugurate new facilities, complete with synthetic turf pitch, at their club.

Those interested in joining the youth sector may obtain more details by phoning 7961-7721.