Ex-Nerazzurri Youth Midfielder Lorenzo Gavioli: “The Standards At Inter Were Incredibly High”

Former Inter youth midfielder Lorenzo Gavioli feels that Inter prepared him for life in the professional game at a very high level.

Speaking to Italian news outlet FCInterNews after joining Serie C club Renate, the 22-year-old reflected on the high standards of the Inter Primavera academy.

Gavioli joined Inter’s academy from that of Emilian club SPAL in 2014, where he played his way through the ranks and then went on a series of loans.

The midfielder spent time with the likes of Venezia, Ravenna, FeralPisalo, and Reggina, and now he goes off to Renate, where he will hope to get more of a foothold for himself within the Italian game.

For Gavioli, the time spent with the Nerazzurri’s youth sector has been a highly formative influence as it has allowed him to experience the highest level of professionalism even from a young age.

“Coming from Inter, I was used to very high standards with everything, from training to away games,” he said.

On joining Inter’s academy from that of SPAL, he reflected that “The beginning was difficult, leaving my family so early was a challenge.”

“From a footballing point of view, everything went well,” he went on, “we always had strong teams, meanwhile on a personal level it took a little more time to adapt.”

On his most memorable win with the Nerazzurri, Gavioli named “The Primavera final against Fiorentina in 2018, which we won 2-0 in extra time.”

“I remember the second goal very well – we won a second ball, Caso jumped and it broke for Rover who scored off the rebound from Cerofolini’s save. It was an incredible feeling, and my best memory,” he recalled.

On being included in the senior team squad against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League, he said “That was also a great feeling. One moment I was with the Primavera, and the next I was warming up with the first team and hearing fans shouting my name.”

On whether he expected to come on in that match he stated that “There were few substitutes available, so at the end of the first half Spalletti’s deputy told me, Esposito, and Merola to start getting ready.”

“Unfortunately we went behind and, given the importance of coming back into it, the two of them came on,” he added. “I was only 18, warming up for a Europa League already felt like a win for me.”