AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is studying the best way to line up against Inter in Saturday’s pivotal derby at San Siro, and he has an idea for the midfield.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) reports that one of several key tactical observations within the game will be the use of Kessie, who has returned from the African Cup of Nations where his nation suffered a last 16 penalty shootout defeat against Egypt.
Although the renewal issue remains problematic, the Ivorian remains a guarantee for Milan and Pioli is thinking of giving him an unusual task: to act as an attacking midfielder rather than in the double pivot alongside Sandro Tonali.
By pushing him further up – as he has already done in the 4-2 win at Empoli before Christmas – he would be tasked with disrupting and limiting the influence of Marcelo Brozovic, who is very much the deep-lying playmaker and midfield lynchpin for Inter.
Kessie also has an instinct for goals as his brace showed in that Empoli game, so there is a double purpose behind the idea, which would allow Ismael Bennacer and Tonali to play in the pivot who tend to offer quick distribution and vertical movement.
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