What a difference a game makes. Yacine Adli was a starter again for AC Milan last night – 346 days after the first and only time with the club – and he took his chance.
Calciomercato.com recall how Adli ‘fell into oblivion for almost a year’ after amassing less than half an hour in playing time after that match against Verona last season, but he was called upon to play a role not familiar to him after Rade Krunic’s injury.
Stefano Pioli launched him in Cagliari in front of the defence, and the former Bordeaux player did not disappoint. He started with the right attitude, he made a mistake by losing the ball for Luvumbo’s goal, but he got back up from it.
He moved the ball well with both short and long balls, even getting stuck in and winning his next three tackles and three ground duels. and even some targeted tackles he was able to hold his position well.
A year ago he had disappointed against Verona in Pioli’s eyes but against Cagliari he seized his moment and shone with a performance that suggests he harbours a lot more maturity.
It is a first personal victory for Adli, who wasn’t even supposed to stay at Milan beyond the summer. The player himself admitted it after the game in an interview with DAZN.
“The first day I spoke to Pioli and he told me that we would change the way we play and that I wasn’t in the cards. Tomori asked me what I would do and I told him:I’ll stay here and you’ll see how I play,” he said.
The Franco-Algerian continued to work in silence and with commitment. He never said a word out of place and was the first to support his team-mates on the pitch and celebrate with them off the field, as the outpouring of love from them on social media shows.
Salernitana wanted Adli, given that head coach Paulo Sousa wished to reunite with him after their spell together at Bordeaux, and last night he had some very complimentary words: “An exemplary worker, for me the new Zinedine Zidane for his technical qualities. He needs continuity.”
Salernitana and some French clubs knocked on the Rossoneri’s door but Adli only wanted to stay at Milan and kept his promise. Now the second phase begins: keeping his spot.
Yacine has shown that he has what it takes to compete for a shirt in the coming weeks and it is from the performances that he will be able to offer before the break against Lazio, Borussia Dortmund and Genoa that will decide a lot.
Krunic is still injured and will be for another three weeks or so, leaving the Rossoneri midfield numerically short, so Adli will have his opportunities to rack up more minutes and get new chances between now and January.
In the new year the situation will change, also due to the return of Ismael Bennacer after his knee injury. His playing time may inevitably be reduced and this could convince the club to re-evaluate the possibility of letting him go.
Salernitana could pick up the phone again, but a lot is linked to the possible stay of Sousa, as well as what kind of Ligue 1 clubs come in. For now, it is a scenario that Adli wants to avoid, with his performances.
Pioli should use him more just to see what will happen.
The league and opponents are very tough what makes problem for Pioli to rotate more and frequently.
He has no choice but to use him.
Adli vs Lazio all day. Forward passes from our regista, what a relief!
Agreed!
More than deserved. Pioli can be such a di** with some of the team members basically condemning them to rot on the bench forever.
It was evident this was going to happen and this is just the beginning. I think a bright future lies ahead of Adli if Pioli gives him 1/10 of the chances he has given to Krunic/Gabbia/Pobega/Messias.
Nice to finally play with 11 players on the pitch.
Pioli doesn’t know how to adapt to his players or to coach players to his style. He only knows how to run his team one exact way and if you don’t fit, bye bye.
1 year of precious time was wasted under Poli. All young players need precious playing time. We all knew what Adil can do except Poli
Under a more brave coach he would have had already a 40M price tag on him. 8-9M for him was a focking steal, shame he has to work with a limited coach 😀
Safe to say players from the P$$$G schools are a wise purchase
What an indictment of my favorite club Milan. You get young players with a lot of potential and then let them languish on the bench. The only reason when that doesn’t happen are injuries, if Krunic wasn’t injured Adli wouldn’t have gotten his chance, what about Kalulu? Tiaw? always for specific reasons, never because I simply give a young new player a chance. Why is Jungdal not in goal? what about Kerkez (meanwhile 15mio market value and great example for beeing stupid) Paqueta 50mio move to the island, did well for Selecao, CDK?