Fabio Miretti got the nod over more experienced teammates in Tuesday’s clash with PSG. The 19-year-old is now the second youngster player to start in a Champions League match in the history of Juventus. Current Milan coach Stefano Pioli has him beat by just 64 days, Corriere dello Sport relays.
The former defender debuted in the top European cup against Ilves on September 20th, 1984. He stayed for 3 years with the Old Lady, collecting 35 appearances. He spent the majority of his playing career at Fiorentina, with a pair of seasons also at Verona and Padova and some stops in the lower leagues before hanging his cleats.
In terms of precocity in Champions League, Miretti topped legends like Paul Pogba, Antonio Cabrini, Alessio Tacchinardi, Pietro Paolo Virdis, Bruno Nicolè and Alessandro Del Piero, Sky Sport points out.
The youngster didn’t have a particularly remarkable performance and was pulled at halftime after getting booked early. Unlike Nicolò Rovella, who’s now at Monza, and Nicolò Fagioli, Juventus never considered loaning him out this summer. He broke out late last season, registering six consecutive appearances with the first team.
Our Take on Miretti
One of the only positive aspects of the Paul Pogba fiasco is that his absence opens up minutes for the starlets. The 19-year-old is starting to prove to be a true gem, and the Bianconeri are desperate for some oomph in the midfield. Fagioli will get his chances soon enough too, and he was spectacular with Cremonese in Serie B in the past campaign. But the coaching staff will have to hope Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie become more inconsistent; otherwise, they would lack physicality in the role.
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