With the midfield department a bit low on numbers Stefano Pioli decided to entrust Yacine Adli with quite a big job, and he certainly repaid his faith.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below) writes that Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Yacine Adli and Tijjani Reijnders are the ‘heart, intelligence and legs’ of Milan who are back on track, and when Ismael Bennacer returns from the Africa Cup of Nations the quality in the midfield will rise again.
The paper speaks of the ‘metamorphosis’, which means that Adli is in charge at the moment. He is the new starting regista, which seemed like an almost impossible thing at the beginning of the season when Pioli told the Frenchman there was no room for him.
Adli accepted the challenge and started working to change his role, from attacking midfielder to playmaker in front of the defence, in a department that in the meantime had been repopulated by the summer transfer market as Reijnders, Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah arrive.
Against Empoli, Adli touched the ball more than anyone else (over 100 touches in 90 minutes), raising and lowering the pace as needed, like a true No.6 should. Against Roma he raised the level further with a goal and he had a hand in Giroud’s too.
The midfield has rebounded thanks to Adli, of course, but also to the affinities he has with his team-mates. There are many in the dressing room, and they go beyond the dynamics of the pitch.
This was demonstrated by the message that Leao dedicated to him on Instagram which read as follows: “Example of patience and hard work. Congratulations brother.”
Added to those of Rafa were the compliments of Giroud, Theo, Pulisic, Thiaw; practically an entire team. Obviously there was no shortage of words from Reijnders, a team-mate with whom the feeling started early and has strengthened in the last few games.
The two love playing together, they look for each other and fit together wonderfully, it is also from this understanding that the change takes place at pace in Milan’s midfield.
In the new trio everyone is in the right place: with Adli deeper, Reijnders has found the space from the left while Loftus-Cheek is free to occupy an area starting from the centre-right.
Musah – more muscular – remains an interesting option to come off the bench during the match. As a substitute, the American caused panic in the Giallorossi area and hit the post late on after a weaving run.
The new arrival Filippo Terracciano, however, remained on the bench: he can also play in the midfield, but Pioli said: “For now I’m only trying him on the flank.” Given the abundance in midfield, that seems a good move.
