Milan, Camarda starts: Fonseca thinks about it, the comparison with Morata and Abraham

On the day of the great celebrations of the Rossoneri past, Milan had the youngest team in its championship on the pitch against Genoa: average age of 24 years and 258 days. He had done better over a year and a half ago against Cremonese, with an even “smaller” team: 24 years and 165 days. So if the glorious past seems like a distant memory, the goal is to write new pages in the future with homemade talents. One in particular: Francesco Camarda. He wasn’t a starter against Genoa, so he couldn’t further lower the average age of the eleven on the pitch. Once he entered, however, after 15′ of the second half, he contributed to raising the volume of the chants from the corner (all for him). With Francesco, expectations have also grown, the hopes of a Milan that will finally be able to overcome Genoa’s resistance. It didn’t happen: what if this was precisely the point, that is, the late entry of baby Camarda? Abraham had come off at half-time due to a physical problem and Morata was evidently not having an evening.

Hungry for goals

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Camarda does everything the coach asks: he presses the opposing goalkeeper and defenders. It’s in his nature: he’s very young but not at all spoiled, he’s hungry and willing to emerge, he fights for every ball and has the quality to be dangerous in the area. With Red Star in the Champions League he was decisive in Abraham’s final double: his header bounced off the crossbar and ended up at Tammy’s feet. Now only the first goal with the big players is missing: beyond the pressure on the opponents and the determination with which he tries to make his way, we also need teammates ready to serve him at the right moment. Against Genoa he worked a ball that seemed destined for a goal kick: Camarda made it playable, but at that point he was no longer inside the area ready to exploit his incredible sense of goal. A natural and ageless gift. The identity card only serves to tell old and new records: Francesco was the earliest debutant in the entire history of Serie A, a record that dates back to 25 November 2023 when he entered the San Siro at 15 years, 8 months and 15 days . Inside seven minutes from the end, plus injury time, Milan-Fiorentina 1-0. He was a starter in Cagliari-Milan last November for the first time at 16 years and 244 days. For the Rossoneri in the three-point era, only Gigio Donnarumma did better, in goal from the start at 16 years and 242 days. In Serie A there are illustrious sixteen-year-old scorers: Camarda could anticipate Roberto Mancini and Renato Buso, who scored at 16 years and 10 months. In the Champions League, however, by scoring in one of the next matches, he would become the youngest goalscorer ever. Honorary title that currently belongs to Ansu Fati, who scored against Inter at San Siro with the Barcelona shirt on 10 December 2019 at 17 years and 40 days.

Time

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Records and attention that Camarda has shown he can handle, also thanks to the protection of the club, his family and his agents: a push and off he goes, in search of new records. A bit like he learned to do on the pitch: when last Sunday he replaced the other baby, Liberali, Camarda looked like a veteran. He moves with ease, without fear or consideration. For the goal he needs more time, understood as an entire match and no longer simple clips, be it the end of the match or the first hour of play available in the away match against Cagliari. Fonseca really thinks about it: this time not out of necessity, but out of technical choice. His centre-forwards are available, both Morata and the recovered Abraham. Camarda, however, travels faster and lighter: he doesn’t have the responsibilities of Alvaro nor the difficulties of Tammy. He can play carefree and with the support of the public. And the push of two former specials: Pippo Inzaghi hugged him before Milan-Genoa. Van Basten at the Gazzetta predicted a star-like future for him. He keeps his head down, unless he needs to strike over his opponents, and keeps his feet on the ground, unless he needs to break away in acrobatics. And from here take flight towards the traced route. In the summer the club created the B team, Milan Futuro: it struggles in Serie C but is a source of new talent. Camarda is an exception: it is needed now, in the present.