Gala, the red in 10" with Milan is behind us: now a brace and redemption with Foggia

There are own goals that cost careers, missed goals that become heavy labels to manage and episodes that can mark you. Football, in this, can be very cruel. Antonio Gala, a talented and creative 20-year-old midfielder who a month ago was sent off ten seconds after coming on to the pitch for Milan Futuro for elbowing an opponent, experienced it firsthand. He received criticism, perhaps too much, but he moved on: the road to resilience took him to Foggia on a permanent basis in the winter transfer market. He responded like a champion with a brace in his second appearance as a starter.

When we talk about Antonio Gala we are talking about a boy who has lived hand in hand with bad luck. Neapolitan, born in 2004, in recent years he has undergone two knee operations that have kept him away from the pitch for several months. The last (serious) injury to the meniscus last April knocked him down but did not defeat him. Having returned to Milan Futuro after a loan to Sestri Levante last season (33 appearances and 2 assists), Gala was back on the grass at the beginning of January. About ten minutes in the resounding defeat with Torres and then the incident of January 19: Milan Futuro is ahead 2-1 on the pitch of Ascoli with seven minutes to go, there are fundamental points at stake in view of salvation. In the 83rd minute, the young Rossoneri player comes in for D'Alessio to give a hand to the midfield, but within ten seconds he tries to break free from the tight marking of an opposing defender, elbowing him for free with the ball far away, even if it is light. The referee gives him a straight red card: insult and damage for Milan , Ascoli will equalize five minutes later. Gala is suspended for three games.

In January, after the episode, Gala went through a particular moment. He had just returned from a long injury (“I am ready to give everything to get where I want”), he wanted to show that he was fine, but too much enthusiasm had stained his character. In addition, at Milan Futuro things were and are going from bad to worse. Then Foggia, another team with red and black colors with two devils in the crest, signed him permanently. Gala moved to group C, took the number 10, was immediately launched as a starter after returning from suspension in the victory against Taranto and in the following match against Potenza. A match that Foggia lost at home 4-3, marked by two red cards for Felicioli and Parodi, but above all by the brace of the former Milan player. First the goal for the temporary 2-2 with a strong right-footed shot into the top corner, then the illusory 3-2 with a piece of magic: sole eluding the defender's intervention and winning left-footed shot. In the middle also the assist for Zunno's goal. Gala has already forgotten about that expulsion by scoring his first two goals among the professionals. He has chosen the path to resilience well.