Filippo Galli disputes Paolo Maldini's claims about AC Milan youth academy

Former AC Milan defender Filippo Galli has issued a sharp rebuttal to comments made by his former teammate Paolo Maldini regarding the club's youth academy. The dispute follows an interview in which Maldini suggested that Milan's youth sector focused too heavily on tactics at the expense of talent.

Galli, who managed the Milan youth academy from 2009 to 2018, stated that Maldini's remarks directly affected him. He defended the academy's methodology, noting that the program was a collaborative effort involving a dedicated workgroup and the Università Cattolica. Galli rejected the notion that the training was overly tactical, arguing instead that talent was recognized and protected.

As evidence, Galli cited the development of Daniel Maldini, Paolo's son. Galli explained that Daniel experienced a slower physical maturation compared to his peers, but the academy chose to provide him with consistent playing time to support his growth rather than benching him for more physically developed players. Galli maintained that the academy's approach was designed to nurture technical and creative skills through gameplay.