In the context of a team that has collapsed in every way, the Rossoneri’s 8 has improved his more “physical” parameters compared to a year ago. And it is the second of the most used rose
The photo was taken at Milanello and it would be interesting to know what Tonali sees with the telephoto lens. A way to observe far, only that right now the word “far” is such a big question mark. Milan, which in March returned to losing the certainties painstakingly regained after the great ugliness of January, does not have a defined horizon. Or rather, he has it in words – fourth place, which comes mainly from defensive reorganization – but he doesn’t have it in practical terms. Because nobody can be saved from the centrifuge that is making the whole AC Milan world spin. However, there are those – like Sandro – who are part of that small group of players capable of trying to oppose the strong wind.
Leader
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Of course, he too was overwhelmed, now breathing fresh air after moving from Milanello to Coverciano but, in short, even the blue one these days is not exactly a happy island. Tonali fights not to get intoxicated because after the uncertainties of the Rossoneri’s first season he has become the leader, a point of reference on the pitch and in the locker room. One who already in times that were not yet suspicious – it was August 21, the second round of the championship – said things like this after an away draw in Bergamo: “We have to understand that this is another championship. There wasn’t the right concentration, we started as if it were matchday 39”.
Unequal battle
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Tonali in the eyes of the Rossoneri people is the perfect captain and those people suffer to see him stuck to the current cobwebs. Cobwebs from which Sandro desperately tries to detach himself. A first problem is employment, because he is someone who cannot be given up. Thirty-four times on the field out of the Diavolo’s 37 total games – out once due to physical problems, another due to turnover and yet another due to disqualification –, 31 as starter, 24 without ever being replaced. He is second in the squad by playing time after Kalulu. And he fights a battle every week that sometimes seems unequal. A kind of Don Quixote preaching in the desert.
In fact, the numbers show that Sandro, after 27 league matches, has improved several parameters compared to a year ago. And that says it all, considering how the Devil traveled twelve months ago. Key passes per game have increased (from 1.23 to 1.54), tackles (from 1.35 to 1.75), shots on target (from 6 to 11), chances created (from 32 to 37 ) and balls recovered (from 128 to 136). Then, of course, the balls played and the passes decreased, because the collective dynamics collapsed. But the increase in “physical” voices – tackles, recoveries – illustrate well the spirit of the Rossoneri’s 8.
An even more evident cross-section if one compares the part of the current season before the World Cup with that after Qatar: duels won per game have grown from 3.05 to 4, tackles from 1.68 to 1.8. Here, in a similar context, one thing is certain: Tonali has never taken the field “as if it were the 39th day”.
March 20 – 15:40
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