An absolute first and a return: who are the two youngsters called up by Motta

Javier Gil Puche and Alessandro Pietrelli: these are the two youngsters called up by Thiago Motta for the Coppa Italia quarter-final against Empoli tonight. For the former, it is the third call-up among the big boys after the two in a row (dating back to late October and early November 2024) in the league against Parma and Udinese; for the latter, however, it is the first call-up ever. Here's who they are, what their history in black and white is, and their shirt numbers.

Vasilije Adzic returns to the squad after three weeks in which he remained a fixture in Next Gen. His last call-up dates back to Como-Juve on February 7, but for him too the Coppa Italia could be a new opportunity to find some minutes in the first team. In fact, it was in this competition that he managed to carve out a small space of 9 minutes, in the eighth finals against Cagliari, won by the Bianconeri 4-0. The 2006 Montenegrin attacking midfielder (in the pits for several weeks due to injury) has so far collected 4 appearances with Next Gen, 3 in Serie A, one in the Champions League and another, as mentioned, in the Coppa Italia.

About four months after his first time on Thiago Motta's bench, the Spanish defender returns to the first team. Gil Puche , born in 2006, has made 13 appearances so far this season with the Next Gen, 5 appearances in the Youth League and 3 with the Primavera. In the first team he will wear the number 41 shirt (with the team coached by Massimo Brambilla his number is 26). Characteristics: determination and physical strength, excellent left foot, powerful and precise, also useful on set pieces.