Gasperini is not convinced by the development path within the Junior and Youth Football of Itay.
“The goal of Atalanta is mainly to create value with players, more than to win trophies,” said Gasperini.
“I started with youth academies and have always worked with clubs that base their strategy on young players. However, we are making a big mistake in Italian football, because professional clubs tend to choose players who are a little bigger or bigger than the others. That does not help to create champions and we end with teams full of overseas players.
“On the other hand, Barcelona is developing the tendency to develop players who are 'normal' at the physical level. That is apart from Lamine Yamal, who is phenomenal. In Spain they respect the characteristics of a Mediterranean nation and that means focusing on technology instead of physicality.”
Parents of 6-year-old players fighting the stands
Gasperini admits that he wants to see a shift in attitudes towards Junior football.
He explained: “One of the mistakes we make in Italy immediately demands the results of children instead of giving them the freedom to play, make mistakes, to enjoy and learn.
“At the age of six you already have tournaments with parents who beat each other in the stands. Licogality is preferred to all the other.”