Ibrahimovic on Camarda, Fonseca, Theo’s backup and how Milan Futuro will help Italy | OneFootball

Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists Milan won’t put pressure on Francesco Camarda and explains how first-team coach Paulo Fonseca will contribute to the Milan Futuro project.

Ibrahimovic held a press conference at Milanello on Thursday, confirming that ex-LA Galaxy director Jovan Kirovski will be responsible for the Rossoneri Academy, including the newly launched Milan Futuro, who will play in Serie C.

“Milan Futuro and the first team are the same thing to us,” said Ibra as quoted by Milannews.

“Milan Futuro will do the same things as Fonseca with the first team. It will be like copy and paste. Milan Futuro will also focus on individual training sessions; we want to develop the players and make them become men. It’s a big responsibility to represent Milan, so discipline is needed.

“Fonseca does not fear giving young talents a chance. We don’t put all the responsibility on these players, of course. There will be somebody with more experience. Balance is needed. We’ll also need players with Serie C experience. We need balance and to identify the right path.

“Bonera must be open,” added Ibra.

“When Fonseca needs something, he will have to be open to a dynamic situation. We are confident. Accepting this challenge is not easy because too many Academy coaches only think about results. It’s important for them to have a great career, but we want somebody who cares about the development of young players.”

There has been a huge debate in Italy regarding how the country is developing its talents.

Milan are the third Serie A club to launch their second team after Juventus and Atalanta.

“This will be positive for Italian football,” said Ibra.

“We must improve the Italian talent with an international mix. The Italian national team was not ‘wow’ at the Euros. Individually, there was a difference with the other national teams, even if you can work miracles with the group. This project will develop the talent. It will be important for Italian football.”

How about Camarda, will he play for Milan Futuro?

“Everyone thinks it will be easy. But it won’t,” said Ibra.

“He will struggle in the beginning, and we are here to protect him. It’s our responsibility. We must give him time to grow, step by step, and prepare him to reach the first team. We believe in him; he’s one of those talents with great potential. We’ll follow him step by step. Milan Futuro will have 22-23 players, like the first team. Everyone must have space to play and not lose time.

“Camarda has already trained with the first team. Milan Futuro will be close to the first team. If Fonseca feels Camarda is ready for the first team, he’ll play there. Right now, we don’t have a No.9, and when it arrives, Camarda will be in competition with him. It’s always about competition. Those who play for Milan Futuro must have the mentality to challenge those in the first team.

“From Monday we’ll talk about the No.9 for the first team. The idea is to prepare a path for Camarda to enter the first team. He is smart and he knows how to move on the pitch. Then, of course, physicality is needed, too. Serie C defenders are meaner than those of Primavera. They’ll have no mercy and will do everything to make him think that he has nothing to do with Serie C.

“But if they touch him, I’ll get on the pitch to defend him,” Ibra added smiling.

“Jokes aside, it’s important to take the right steps at the right moment. We should not give him all the responsibility. He became a professional player on July 1, he signed his contract, and he must continue studying at the online school. It’s all moving fast right now, but we must keep him grounded and make him become a man. He’s still a kid.”

Camarda has already made his Serie A debut like many other players who are expected to get regular playing time at Milan Futuro next season.

“Simic, Zeroli and Jimenez are part of Milan Futuro,” said Ibra.

“When you touch the first team it’s important to stay there and not go back. This is why Milan Futuro is important. Jimenez is closer to the first team, the others to Milan Futuro. They need this process to grow further.

“Jimenez will be Theo’s backup. When he won’t play with the senior team, he’ll play for Milan Futuro. If you want to start for Milan, you’ve got to be stronger than Theo, which is not easy. He can get playing time with Milan Futuro, but he’ll be Theo’s backup.”

How involved is Milan owner Gerry Cardinale in the Milan Futuro project?

“I talk every day with Cardinale. Milan are a very personal thing to him,” said Ibrahimovic.

“He listens a lot and is very open to the ideas that we bring. He wants to see results, obviously. He wants the club’s growth and the results. Milan Futuro is one of these ideas. We are all with Bonera to take this project forward. Results are all that matter and the target is to bring as many talents as possible to the first team.

“When I joined Milan in this role, I pushed so much for talent. It’s not possible that Milan do not have a top Academy. You can’t buy these things; you must invest and wait for the results.

“This doesn’t mean the first team will be filled with young players, but if we can add some, it’s positive. We don’t do it just for us but for the whole of Italian football. I am not saying that five talents will be promoted to the senior team in every season, but if it happens, we’ll be happy. It’s important to have players who are ready at the right moment.”

Ibrahimovic revealed that most Milan Futuro players won’t be involved in the 2024-25 Youth League.

“Those who won’t play for Milan Futuro will play in Primavera,” said Ibra,

“Youth League is a big thing, but if you ask me if it’s better to win it or bring five players to the senior team, I’ll pick the second option. The Youth League is like a mini Champions League; it’s a great experience but you will face it with most players from the Primavera.”

Many say that Barcelona and Spain starlet Lamine Yamal would not have played in Serie A.

“He would have played with a club that gave him a chance,” argued Ibra.

“I remember when Sinisa [Mihajlovic] played Donnarumma. It’s important to follow the club’s guidance. In Italy, they want established players because if you don’t bring the results, the coach changes.

“Barcelona have a different tradition. The first team and the academy play with the same system. I remember seeing no differences, just the names on the shirts. In Italy, every coach brings his own philosophy. Now, we want to put a base and methodology on how we want them to work until they reach the senior team.

“If you want Camarda to play straight away, it won’t be easy to win. He’d need ten top-class footballers to protect him, but if the first team is not so strong, he’ll have more responsibility and not be protected like in Spain. Like this, it will be easy to push the talent, and I hope talent will have a chance to play. Talent is always the future; this is why we called the team Milan Futuro.”