Adrien Rabiot is back after serving a one-game suspension, but another game of rest could be on the cards for the Frenchman, which worries AC Milan and Massimiliano Allegri.
As highlighted by today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (see photo below), the good news for Milan is that Rabiot will be back tomorrow. The bad news, meanwhile, is that the Frenchman would get another suspension if he were to receive another yellow card.
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Since the derby is just around the corner, this is causing some anxiety among the Milan fans, as Rabiot effectively has to take a yellow card against Parma or be benched against Cremonese. Either way, Milan cannot afford not to have him in the derby.
Importance is evident
There’s an easy way to prove Rabiot’s importance to this team: Milan’s only defeat in the league came in the season opener against Cremonese, when the Frenchman was still a Marseille player. He arrived a few weeks later and was immediately put in the starting XI (matchday 3, 1-0 win against Bologna).
Furthermore, in the eight matchdays in which the Rossoneri were without Adrien, they picked up just 13 points, which is an average of 1.62 per game. With that sort of performance, Milan would now be eighth in the standings, with 40-41 points.
Fortunately, however, Rabiot made his presence known in the other 17 Serie A matches: 12 wins, 5 draws, and no defeats with him on the pitch. That’s 41 points at an average of 2.41 per game. Had Milan been able to count on the midfielder in all games, they would have been closer to Inter with 60-61 points.
‘The crazy horse’
Allegri was quick to highlight just how important Rabiot would be for the team. And in recent weeks, he has also said that it’s the best version of Adrien that he has coached. He attacks, defends, creates plays, and presses: a complete player, whose absence is immediately felt.
This was clear against Como earlier in the week, a team that Milan beat in the reverse fixture thanks to a brace from the Frenchman (plus a penalty won). That’s also why the two yellow cards received against Pisa bugged Milan so much, which seemingly no obvious cause for the second yellow.
Together with Luka Modric, Rabiot has formed the perfect partnership: one drops deep to receive and weave the ball, the other does a bit of everything, thanks to his extraordinary running and forward runs. The result? With the two veterans starting together, Milan haven’t lost this season.
Under caution
It’s obviously a huge boost to have Rabiot back against Parma, as stated at the start, but the dilemma is that he’s still one yellow card away from a suspension. Without a yellow card tomorrow, then he would risk missing Milan-Inter with a yellow card against Cremonese.
Alternatively, Allegri could field him tomorrow and regardless of whether he gets a yellow or not, sideline him against Cremonese. Before thinking about the future, however, they must beat Parma to keep their faith in a Scudetto comeback.
The seven-point gap behind Inter may seem impossible, but at Milanello, they don’t want to stop dreaming.
I think that should be the plan – force a yellow against Parma, get the suspension against Cremonese then play against Inter. Surely we can get the better of Cremonese without The Duke.
It’s better to play him against Parma, nd probably get a suspension against Cremonese den play him against inter… Which is going to be a cracker….
I wish us all d very best in our up coming games…
Milan for life….
The team should get a good lead atleast at 50mins then he takes a yellow card for short pulling and gets substituted after that so he misses Cremonese and the team will have him for the closing stage of the season without the fear of a suspension.
It’s time for Allegri to go the Mourinho way
Don’t think we need the tank to beat any of our next two opponets, but at best it’s today he needs that yellow and not a straight Red(two games) so If he would sit it out fine by me
Whatever happens (whether he picks up a yellow against Parma or not), I hope they’re smart and he makes it to the derby. Bastoni purposefully picked up a yellow against Leccer to ba available for the derby. So Rabiot should follow suit, or he should sit out the Cremonese game anyway if he doesn’t. We’ll see if this club can get it right…