MN: Hard work, Futuro spell and Allegri’s faith – how Bartesaghi is proving doubters wrong

Davide Bartesaghi has found himself thrust into the spotlight, and so far he has managed to pass the tests he has been given.

As MilanNews recall, there was a lot of talk in the media and among supporters that Bartesaghi was not ready for the first team. This is a player who in the last three calendar years made the transition from the Primavera to the senior squad, including a full season with Milan Futuro.

It was last year’s experience, amidst a thousand technical and other difficulties, that forged Davide’s character and gave him much more than a typical loan move, with the risk of finding himself on the bench for six months.

The many games he played in Serie C opened up a new, different world for him, far from the glitter of San Siro and much more complicated than the Primavera. Of those from last season, he is the only one to have remained in the first team squad, with the firm belief of Massimiliano Allegri.

Hard work, belief and confidence

While the harsh criticism surrounding Bartesaghi brewed regarding him not being ready for the first team, the defender worked with his head down to prove it wrong. Last season’s experience has shaped him, and those who work with him every day swear that he’s only at the beginning of his next evolutionary step.

Bartesaghi came through the youth sector and is a boyhood fan of the club. He changed his mental approach to matches above all, having perhaps sometimes been guilty of over-exuberance in the mission to impress (see the red card against Lecce).

Comparing that cameo in 2024 to the start against Juventus in Turin and the further step forward against Fiorentina shows how far he can come. Credit must go to Allegri too, who has absolutely no issues in trusting a strong young player.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the raw materials are there for Bartesaghi to be moulded into whatever Max wants. He is 193cm tall and is not another Theo Hernandez in terms of speed, but at the same time has settled in well at wing-back thanks to his technical ability and work rate.

As mentioned, ‘everyone at Milanello’ has enormous faith in Bartesaghi’s abilities. He has never rested on his laurels and knows full well that what he’s achieved so far is just the beginning. Allegri, the staff, and his team-mates recognised his value right from the start, and he’s now repaying the faith.