Among the many things that the Milan derby confirmed, without a doubt, is the Rossoneri’s fantastic midfield. On the eve of the clash, the media rightfully branded the clash as a big test for the usual duo.
It was a difficult and challenging test for Ismael Bennacer and Franck Kessie, but they passed it with flying colours, as highlighted by MilanNews.it. Milan fans can’t say that they are surprised, though.
For some time now, the Algerian and the Ivorian have been extremely important the Rossoneri’s backbone, relying on Kessie’s physicality and Bennacer’s inspiration. Last night’s encounter was yet another example of this.
The duo, in fact, has become irreplaceable. Despite the important addition of Sandro Tonali in the summer, Stefano Pioli has opted to continue with Bennacer and Kessie, while giving the former Brescia man a few minutes here and there.
That being said, this isn’t all bad for Tonali, quite the opposite: he can now adapt to the Milan environment with haste and without excessive pressure. It must also be remembered that he’s still very young.
Tactically speaking, the importance of Bennacer and Kessie is also because of the fact that they complement each other perfectly. Bennacer is a midfielder of great intelligence, with an important build-up role and capable of giving verticality to Stefano Pioli’s team.
Kessie, on the other hand, is a physical midfielder, with great athleticism and very skilled in handling advanced opponents. Brains and lungs of the Rossoneri squad, Kessie and Bennacer are perfect for each other and suited to the Rossoneri needs.
In the match against Inter, they didn’t only cancel the Inter midfielders, but also made a great contribution to both the Rossoneri defence and attack. Complementary and irreplaceable, Kessie and Bennacer have passed the ‘Nerazzurri exam’ and are looking forward to the next test (partially already passed): continuity.
