Bennacer, only heavy goals. The unexpected Milan bombers

He started it all and, after thirty seconds of pure collective spectacle, he put the autograph on the final act. That of Cagliari was a victory that Milan strongly took home in the name of Bennacer. There was no Tonali, confined to the bench by the flu, but there was “Isma”, the name that Pioli repeats several times during the games. He pounds him relentlessly, and not because the Algerian needs to be continually stimulated. But because he gravitates to the areas where the destinies of the matches are decided most of the time. In Sardinia, Bennacer was the perfect example of a midfielder: he stole the ball from his opponents and placed the ball in the net on the – magnificent – development of the action.

Tonali and Ibra … together

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Obviously it doesn’t always work like that, and those thirty seconds from Unipol Domus will end up right in the gallery of AC Milan’s seasonal feats. But it must be said that Ismael has been guaranteeing a high performance already for several games. It blossomed after a first part of the season so-so, entered at full capacity in the very topical moment of the championship. Yesterday Bennacer made the Tonali and the Ibra at the same time, he cut, sewed, embroidered and marked. He was an all-rounder and there could not have been a better time and context to sanctify a contract renewal that is upon us. The agreement is already there (going from 1.5 million seasonal to 3 plus bonuses), the time horizon also (2026), practically only the announcement is missing, which should not be too late by now.

The ones you don’t expect

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Isma is considered by the club to be one of the pillars on which to build everything else, together with Hernandez, Leao and Tonali. And he is someone who scores few goals, but he makes them heavy. The other, this year, is that of Bologna, when a few minutes from the ninetieth unhinged a foolish game, in the most difficult moment, bringing the Devil to 3-2. “My bomber”, Giroud celebrated it on social media. Olivier and Ismael had played together for Arsenal only once, seven years ago, in a disastrous 0-3 against Sheffield in the League Cup. Yesterday the Frenchman pocketed the Algerian for another of the “strange” goals to which Milan has become accustomed to. Strange simply because they come from someone you don’t expect. Like that of Kalulu with Empoli, of Calabria in Bergamo, of Maldini in La Spezia. It is the great strength of Pioli’s Milan, which always finds a different protagonist. In Bennacer’s case, however, the level has been high for a while.