The father of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has praised AC Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic after he handed the 16-year-old his debut at the weekend.
Donnarumma became the club's second-youngest debutant when he played in a 2-1 win over Sassuolo, and will hope to keep start ahead of Diego Lopez once more in Wednesday night's clash with Chievo.
"Mihajlovic had the courage to pick my son, but since he's a serious and experienced coach, he made this choice because he was convinced by the quality and the form of Gianluigi," Alfonso Donnarumma told the Corriere del Mezzogiorno.
"I don't know if my son will keep his place because he's got a great champion ahead of him, but I'm optimistic and I hope he can improve."
The keeper had trials with Juventus and Inter, according to his father, while Napoli had also shown an interest in him.
"But he didn't want to go there," Donnarumma Sr. said. "He wanted to join AC Milan at all costs."
Mihajlovic has said he does not consider players based on their age, preferring to make his decisions depending on who he views to be in better shape, although he also says he will be careful not to overdo things with Donnarumma.
Former Real Madrid No.1 Lopez, who had played in all of the Rossoneri's Serie A matches this season until the weekend, accepted his place on the bench, with Mihajlovic saying "we'll see" who will be chosen on Wednesday night.
"We need to find some continuity," the Serbian coach said at a news conference. "If we learn how to deal with this suffering now, then it will be downhill all the way. We've got to rediscover our belief and climb up the table again."
Mihajlovic said he is confident of a successful season, despite finding themselves in 10th, eight points behind league leaders Inter.
"If Juve [who are a point behind Milan] still believe they can win the Scudetto, then I don't see why we should not believe we can qualify for the Champions League," he said. "I believe in it."