AC Milan: Champions League Start for Simone Ganz Would Be Earned, Says Father

Simone Ganz is likely going to make his AC Milan Champions League debut on Wednesday night at the San Siro, and his father is singing his praises.

Simone is the son of Maurizio Ganz, who scored many goals while playing for many clubs in his 22-year career, including Sampdoria, Milan, Inter and Fiorentina. He was a member of the 1997 Milan team that won the Scudetto, and scored 19 times over the couple seasons he was at the star-studded club.

Older Ganz is proud of the quick ascension of his son, and made clear that he will not have anything handed to him. Per RossoneriBlog:

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“I hear that Milan will be obliged to take him to the bench because they have no other strikers. I do not agree: AC Milan are not obligated to do anything. If my child will be part of the 18 (XI plus 7 on the bench) it will be because he deserved it and because the club believes in him.

“He [Simone Andrea] has an eye for beautiful goals, he is modern striker, can maneuver. He is not “planted” in the penalty box like I was. Every now and then I give him some advice."

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Ganz, who just turned 18 last Wednesday, is one of the bright young prospects of the Milan Primavera squad, which features key young prospects, such as Kingsley Boateng and Edmund Hottor. The youngster has been impressing at the lower levels, and with the abundance of injuries up front, he will more than likely start alongside Antonio Cassano against Czech champions Viktoria Plzen.

Milan are facing an injury crisis with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato all unavailable up top due to injury. Filippo Inzaghi and Stephan El Shaarawy failed to make the Champions League roster from the first team. Inzaghi was left off due to the amount of younger forwards still in their prime and recent injuries (ironically), while El Shaarawy could have made the homegrown list if he had been with the club for two years.

Ganz has been with the team for the two required years, and thus is eligible to be pulled into the squad. It is an excellent opportunity to see the man who may one day be part of a three-pronged attack of Pato, El Shaarawy and Ganz.

Despite the incredible amount of injuries to key players, Milan should come out on top against Viktoria rather easily. Ganz has a golden opportunity to show that El Shaarawy is not the only young forward worth being excited about at Milan.