AC Milan are enjoying the performances of Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer as they continue to be decisive, while Franck Kessie may be reflecting on his decision.
Calciomercato.com report that Kessie is being paid €6.5m net per season by Barcelona and he of course gets to play for a huge club and live in a historic city, but so far he has not been a big part of Xavi’s plans as he has started just two games in the league and two in the Champions League, with 12 total appearances and 1 goal against Viktoria Plzen.
At the same point of last season Kessié was an immovable column of the Milan midfield that would later become Italian champions, with the Ivorian the most used out of the department that included Bennacer and Tonali.
Xavi seems to have Busquets, Pedri and Gavi ahead of Kessie in the pecking order while Milan did not directly replace him. Pobega arrived, a mezzala who showed the best things when Pioli moved to 4-3-3, and Vranckx was signed but he is more of a prospect as not being included in the Champions League squad list shows.
Meanwhile, Pioli is enjoying a midfield with quality, work rate and balance. Bennacer is the brain, Tonali is the engine, and the two have learned to make up for Kessié’s absence, replacing his dynamism by collaborating and covering large portions of the pitch, as they did in Zagreb in the Champions League victory in midweek.
It is an anomalous season due to the World Cup in winter but the good thing is that neither of them – one Algerian and the other Italian – will be involved in Qatar.
