Inter Milan is setting up its new Under 23 team, with an experienced acquisition leading the defense and a familiar face returning to the coaching bench.
The first new face for Inter Milan`s U23 squad will be familiar to anyone who grew up playing Football Manager. Giuseppe Prestia, a 31-year-old central defender, was a must-buy in the popular football management game about a decade ago, a player you could rely on for years. While his real-life career took a different path, Prestia has built a respectable career across Serie C and Serie B. He concluded last season as captain of Cesena, playing 34 out of 38 matches and scoring four goals. Starting next season, he will wear the Nerazzurri shirt.
Who is Prestia?
Second team regulations allow for the inclusion of up to four “over-age” players (over 23 years old), provided they have not made more than 50 appearances in Serie A. Prestia has only one such appearance: on April 11, 2015, he debuted for Parma at the Tardini against Juventus, playing five minutes as a substitute for Belfodil. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 370 professional appearances for clubs including Cesena (where he achieved promotion to Serie B in 2024), Alessandria, Francavilla, Catanzaro, Crotone, Ascoli, as well as Romanian teams Petrolul Ploiesti and Otelul Galati. He made his senior debut with Palermo on December 15, 2010, in a Europa League group stage match against Lausanne.
The Squad
Prestia is the first of several new signings expected for the U23 team. The coach will be Stefano Vecchi, a familiar figure who has previously achieved great success with Inter`s youth academy, winning five trophies: two Primavera league titles, a Supercoppa, a Coppa Italia, and a Viareggio tournament. Last year, he guided Vicenza to the Serie C playoff semifinals, where they were defeated by Ternana. Vecchi returns “home” after an eight-year absence. The season is set to begin on July 14, with players gathering at Appiano Gentile before heading to training camp. Several key players from last year`s Primavera championship-winning squad will join: Calligaris, Zamarian, Spinaccè, Lavelli, Zanchetta, Topalovic, Alexiou, Re Cecconi, Aidoo, Motta, and Venturini. Players who participated in the U21 World Cup or European Championship will join the training camp directly. Also present will be Francesco Stante, a 20-year-old coming off his first professional season with Pergolettese in Serie C, with 33 total appearances. The rest of the squad is still being assembled, with Dario Baccin and Gianluca Andrissi overseeing operations.
