AC Milan were hoping that Ante Rebic’s return from a long-term muscle injury would see their talisman in the second half of the season hit the ground running, but in truth he has done anything but that.
MilanNews writes how Rebic has often been an extra man and a decisive player since he joined the Rossoneri particularly after the Christmas break when in the last two seasons he has really moved through the gears.
He has been unrecognisable since coming back from his injury, which put an early end to the first half of the campaign for him when he had found consistency in his performance as both a centre-forward (in Ibrahimovic and Giroud’s absence) and out wide.
After recovering from a previous problem, Rebic missed the derby on February 5 due to another ankle discomfort, only to return definitively a few days later against Lazio in the Coppa Italia.
Now we are in February and he is getting 30 minutes off the bench in most cases, but he did very little against Sampdoria, scored the equaliser from 25 yards but was wasteful after that against Salernitana and then he struggled to find any kind of success against Udinese and Inter.
Of course a return to scoring a goal every game is expected too much, but he has made some surprising technical errors for a player of his caliber, missing easy passes and struggling with reading of the game situations.
Now it is up to Pioli to try to recover and stimulate him again but the former Eintracht Frankfurt man must also answer the critics himself, because Milan cannot only rely on Rafael Leao.
Rebic is clearly unmotivated to be just a back up bench player. No wonder when players like Salamakers, Diaz and even Krunic are starting infront of him. Pioli should start him on the RW he is two footed any way.
Unmotivated? Nope. He was sidelined for months and playing 15 minutes at the end of the match doesn’t improve his match fitness. He needs to start a couple of matches to get back into the rhythm again. Play him as a RW for a couple of matches and he’ll be back to himself.
The only answer is to sell him in the summer. Milan already has a suitable replacement in Chaka Traore who needs to be in the first team come next season.
LOL. What a load of BS.
Leao, Rebic and Maldini are all left wingers. I just dont see Chaka Traoregetting a chance at Milan.
He will get it back; his confidence and game timing will return. But I agree they should play him at RW from the start of the match. His high pressing causes opponents into bad passes and turnovers and his speed on right with Leao and Theo speed on the left will create great counterattacking opportunities. He can make very good crosses into the box with either foot. We need to get him back to playing like we know he’s capable of.
Yep. Like I said, he needs more minutes after being away for months. 15 mins here and there won’t help. He needs to start matches.
is a pressing player, if the opponent is play defense like hell then rebic ist not helpful, if the teams are eye level then rebic is much better.. needs the space. So let him play in front and not on wings and spare the 7mio IBRA finally
I think Olivier Giroud should start the match against napoli as his hold up play is so good …I am surprised a little that he has not scored for a while …This will come against Napoli …He is a big game player …
Rebec I believe is not a centre forward ,but he can be played on the right ..Giroud needs better service at front …The last game against inter AC Milan were the better side ,it’s just the little bit of precision is needed with the final ball in ..sure this will come .We should definitely have had a penalty awarded for a foul on Giroud…no doubt if we had it given ,Olivier would have taken it and scored …I believe we will however win the second leg ..so all to play for …
Giroud hasn’t scored lately as he has had ZERO service and isn’t a player who can create chances out of thin air. He gets the ball in the half-line but the other players fail to get the ball to him in the last 3/4 of the pitch. Hard to score goal from the halfway-line.