Mattia Liberali
Mattia Liberali (born 6 April 2007) is an Italian footballer who plays as a winger for Italian club AC Milan U19.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 April 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | Carate Brianza, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AC Milan U19 | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2014 | Aquile della Brianza | ||
| 2014–2015 | La Dominante | ||
| 2015– | AC Milan | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | Italy U15 | 6 | (4) |
| 2022–2023 | Italy U16 | 11 | (3) |
| 2022– | Italy U17 | 7 | (1) |
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 August 2023 | |||
Early life
Liberali was born in Carate Brianza, Italy.[1]
Club career
In 2013, the manager of local amateur side Rhodense, Alberto Bianchi, spotted Liberali and invited him to play in a youth tournament with a view to later sign him.[2] However, he would participate at the tournament with Aquile della Brianza from Muggiò instead, spending a year with the side before joining La Dominante, who he would train during the week with, while playing with professional side AC Milan on weekends.[2]
After a year of this arrangement, Liberali made the switch to AC Milan permanent.[2] During the 2021–22 under-16 Scudetto tournament, he finished second-top scorer behind Francesco Camarda with nine goals, as AC Milan went on to win the competition.[2] He was called up to train with the first team for the first time, alongside Camarda and Nirash Perera, in December 2022.[3] The following year, in July 2023, he signed his first professional contract with the club through 2027.[4]
International career
Liberali has represented Italy from under-15 to under-17 level.[5]
Style of play
Initially a central defender while playing at 7-a-side level, Liberali was moved up the pitch in the academy of AC Milan, settling at left-wing, with Italy under-17 coach Massimiliano Favo also utilising him as an attacking midfielder.[2] Former AC Milan defender and current football pundit, Alessandro Costacurta, compared him with English international Phil Foden for their similar playing style.[6]
References
- "Mattia Liberali". acmilan.com (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- Barilaro, Andrea (10 May 2022). "BII nuovo fuoriclasse del Milan dal mancino fatato: Mattia Liberali incanta il Diavolo, e con la Nazionale..." [The new AC Milan champion with the fairy left-handed: Mattia Liberali enchants the Devil, and with the national team...]. sprintesport.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- Schettino, Francesco (7 December 2022). "Milan, prosegue la linea giovane: Camarda, Liberali e Perera si allenano con la primavera" [Milan, the young line continues: Camarda, Liberali and Perera train with the spring]. footballnews24.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- Antonelli, Michele (19 July 2023). "Il Milan blinda "il mago" Liberali, il 2007 mancino paragonato a Foden" [Milan locks up "the magician" Liberali, the left-handed 2007 compared to Foden]. gazzetta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- Mattia Liberali at WorldFootball.net
- Scapellato, Fabio (20 July 2023). "Mattia Liberali, chi è il "Nuovo Foden" che il Milan ha blindato a soli 16 anni" [Mattia Liberali, who is the "New Foden" that Milan locked up at just 16 years old]. spraynews.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
External links
- Mattia Liberali at Soccerway