Inter Milan president Erick Thohir and first-team coach Roberto Mancini have expressed their pride in the "future of Inter" after the club's youth team beat Juventus to win the youth edition of the Coppa Italia.
A 2-1 win in front of 20,500 spectators -- not much less than for many of the Nerazzurri's Serie A games -- completed a 3-1 aggregate Coppa Italia Primavera win for Inter, who got their hands on the cup for the first time in a decade, and Thohir has predicted a bright future for his club as a result.
"These lads are the future of Inter and we are proud of them," he said on inter.it. "Compliments to them, to the coach Stefano Vecchi, to [head of the youth academy] Roberto Samaden and all the staff. And thanks to all of the fans who were at the San Siro. Forza Inter always!"
CAMPIONIIIIIIIII!!! #FORZAINTER!!! ����⚫️���� #InterJuventus #PrimaveraTIMCUP #InterYouth pic.twitter.com/yicKoa7yJl
- F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) April 13, 2016
Mancini praised the team's performance and confirmed that some players are close to consideration for the first team. "They are training with us often," he said. "I'm absolutely delighted for them. We're all very satisfied with this win at the San Siro. It was a great game and it was great for the lads too."
One youngster who could be given a chance in the first team is Rey Manaj, an Algerian international who is now spending most of his time training with Mancini. He spent last season on loan at Cremonese in Italy's third division and, since returning to Inter in the summer, he has been a regular training with the first team.
The 19-year-old opened his account for his country on his debut in a friendly against Kosovo last November and is in the frame for a place in their squad for Euro 2016. It was his goal which cancelled out Grigoris Kastanos' opener to bring Inter level in the game and ahead in the tie 13 minutes from time.
Manaj earned a red card as tempers flared in the final minutes, and both teams had to be kept separate when the medals and trophy were handed out to prevent further friction.