RISCONE DI BRUNICO – Friday was departure day in Brunico, and not only for Roberto Mancini's Nerazzurri squad. Also leaving Val Pusteria at the end of a 12-day internship were 30 Chinese youngsters from Inter Academy Yitao Shanghai.
The budding footballers were picked out as the brightest talents from the U10 and U12 age groups in the 28 soccer schools involved in the project back in the Chinese metropolis.
Under the watchful eye of technical director Marco Monti and senior manager of technical operations Aldo Montinaro, the Inter Academy recruits took part in 10 training sessions on the pitches in Teodone and Stegona as well as two joint sessions in Brunico and Riscone.
The youngsters had the opportunity to watch the Inter squad training from pitchside, meet the players in their hotel for photos and autographs and walk out onto the pitch with the Nerazzurri stars before the friendly against CSKA Sofia.
Their Italian sojourn included trips to Kronplatz, Lake Braies and Innsbruck, while there were frequent visits to Inter Village for fun and frolics under the supervision of Inter Academy coaches Andrea Ratti, Valerio Candido, Kevin Cauet, Andrea Caligara and Gabriele Zanon.
The Shanghai kids also met Nerazzurri youth academy chief Roberto Samaden and director of global youth business Barbara Biggi, who praised them for their technical improvement.
