In collaboration with the AC Milan Academy in Sydney, Australia, Balzan Youths Nursery organised a trial session for a number of boys coming from various nurseries around Malta. The thirty-four boys born 1997 to 1999 had a two hour session with AC Milan Coach Elio Garavaglia.

Garavaglia watched carefully all the boys during this session and was satisfied with the level of the players who participated. A number of boys will now be selected to participate in the second session which will be held again at Balzan training Grounds and will be conducted by former AC Milan player Andrea Icardi who is currently the Head Coach of AC Milan Academy in Sydney. Finally one player will be selected and offered a trial with one of the Serie B sides on Italy, Empoli or Gubbio.

More activities will soon be organised by the Balzan Youths Nursery in connection with the AC Milan Academy in Sydney.

Head Coach Silvan Ciscaldi stated that the main aim of the nursery is to start producing quality players for the Balzan first team which is currently playing in the Premier League championship pool and also give as much as possible foreign exposure to promising Maltese Youngsters.

Balzan Youths Nursery is also considering the option of signing a professional Italian coach for its Under 17s Squad for next season. This would be the first time that a youth team at club level in Malta would have a professional coach in charge.

Furthermore, after several visits from AC Milan Coaches, Balzan Youths Nursery will be giving the opportunity to a young Maltese player to gain International experience. The selected player is Sean Cipriott who currently plays for the Under 15 squad of Floriana. Sean has been selected to form part of the AC Milan Academy Sydney squad which will be participating in the prestigious VI° Memorial “Anselmo Fagni” Torneo di Calcio Internazionale Allievi Professionisti in Pistoia, Italy between the 4 th and 10th April.

Sean will be travelling up to Italy with Balzan Youths Nursery Head Coach Silvan Ciscaldi. Silvan will be forming part of the coaching staff to work alongside the Milan Academy Head Coach Andrea Icardi.

During the group stage the Under-16 AC Milan Academy from Sydney has been drawn to play against the Napoli and Siena Under-16 sides. In preparation for these games, friendlies against Verona, Gubbio and Prato will be played and Sean will have the opportunity to play alongside his team mates and to accustom himself to the very fast match tempo and technique in Italy.

Anton Tagliaferro, who is the Balzan Youths FC main sponsor and the Director of the AC Milan Academy in Sydney will also form part of the contingent in Italy. He is once again the mentor behind this opportunity given to the Maltese youngster and Coach.