As AC Milan edged nervously towards a 1-0 victory over Bologna on Sunday to move to within a point of their first Serie A title in seven years, Massimiliano Allegri put faith in youngster Giacomo Beretta's ability to help them over the finish line.
In his cameo appearance the 19-year-old won a number of admirers, and his name was even trending on twitter for a short time after the match had ended.
So we decided to ask Goal..com Italy's Milan expert, Simone Gambino, what he thinks of the young starlet and what Beretta could offer the Rossoneri in the seasons to come.
When did you first see Giacomo Beretta in action?
I saw him for the first time in 2009 Fifa U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria. He played against Algeria in the group stage and against the USA and Switzerland in the elimination stage. He scored against the USA with a strike comparable to one you'd see from Filippo Inzaghi.
What would you say are his best characteristics?
He has strength, a great physique, and he is a prolific striker. Aside from his strength he has very good positional sense in the box. He also has good heading skills. He has had some serious injuries in the past, so his only limit could be his health.
He appears to be quick and fearless and possesses great ball control... some are already comparing him to Christian Vieri. Is that fair?
Yes, it is. He's not really very quick but he has good pace. He is like Vieri in his fearlessness and his physical skills; in fact, one of his nicknames is 'Bobone', even if his most widespread nickname is 'Jack Calibro 9' ('Jack 9-Gauge'), because he is lethal in the box.
Are there more players of Beretta's promise in Milan's youth teams?
Alexander Merkel is the greatest promise of Milan's youth teams, and he has played for the senior squad many times this year and will be an important part of Milan's future. In the Primavera squad the main talents are
Simone Verdi (a 'wizard', a fast and technical offensive midfielder),
Adria Carmona (formerly of Barcelona, he's a speedy winger),
Simone Ganz (Former Milan player Maurizio Ganz's son, he's a striker who acts as Beretta's substitute) and
Marco Fossati, an Andrea Pirlo style midfielder, a great passer with interesting ball possession skills.
Milan are in the play-offs ahead of the final phase of the Primavera championships. Will Beretta feature? And do Milan have a chance of winning a Scudetto/Primavera double?
Yes, Milan could win the double but in the Primavera championship there are other strong teams like Genoa, Roma, Atalanta and Juventus. Beretta will be one of the main stars in the final phase if they beat Torino in the play-off. Milan obviously hope his goals will help them to move forward in the competition.