GdS: ‘The soul of the Diavolo’ – Milan rely on Pulisic and Reijnders for crucial trio of games

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·28 de marzo de 2025

GdS: ‘The soul of the Diavolo’ – Milan rely on Pulisic and Reijnders for crucial trio of games

AC Milan’s need to win at the Maradona to keep alive their hopes of getting fourth place, and Sergio Conceiçao will rely on his two most consistent performers.

There will be no rotation in view of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia derby against Inter. The best team will take to the field in Naples, with its two ‘untouchables’ Tijjani Reijnders and Christian Pulisic, starters after the disappointments suffered with their respective national teams.

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Milan’s two top scorers will work overtime in the decisive trio of games for the Rossoneri’s future (Sunday vs. Napoli, Wednesday vs. the Nerazzurri, Saturday vs. Fiorentina), but the first thought is for the challenge against Antonio Conte’s men.

Pulisic’s role

The former Chelsea player, who only played the last half hour of the first game against Napoli due to a bout of flu, is considered a key element by the Portuguese coach to give balance to the non-possession phase and to force Spinazzola onto the defensive.

Pulisic, with his 15 goals, is Milan’s most consistent player in terms of scoring, but he has also provided nine assists. In short, he can have a better season than last year, closed with fifteen goals and ten assists.

It is easy to imagine that Spinazzola will pay particular attention to marking the American who is a tactically decisive element for Milan: with the first striker (Abraham or Gimenez) then dropping back to act as a support and create space,

Pulisic will have the task of moving centrally to free up Walker’s run on the right wing. Even in the pressing phase, however, the No.11 will be fundamental, hindering Spinazzola’s incursions becomes mandatory so as not to provide Lukaku with crosses.

Crucial Reijnders

And then there is the Dutchman who was decisive in the last match won against Como, scoring a goal and an assist. Conceiçao is inclined to use Youssouf Fofana in place of the suspended Musah and is considering whether to use Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Warren Bondo from the first minute.

Of the three midfielders, the one who will certainly have the most attacking tasks will be Reijnders, called upon to put pressure on Lobotka to limit his ability in the build-up phase.

Tijjani has been squeezed by the national team (200 minutes in the two matches against Spain), but he is ready for another sacrifice because he knows how essential his contribution is for Milan.

Theo’s pride

There is little to say about Hernandez and his season: on Sunday he had another night to forget on a personal level, missing one of the penalties in a shootout against Croatia.

However, Theo scored the decisive goal for the victory at San Siro last season against Napoli (1-0) and also celebrated at San Paolo in his first season in Italy (the 2-2 draw). He will face Politano who will target him often.

For the Rossoneri defence to hold up – one that hasn’t kept a clean sheet in the last six matches – it will be essential that the full-back does not let himself get blown away. Not an easy task, just like the decision on the renewal with Milan. The latter can wait, but Politano cannot.