Milan and the Theo-Fonseca peace: how it went

Men, when they sense that their fate is on the line, often make the wisest decisions. Paulo Fonseca and Theo Hernandez were two islands until 24 hours ago: they looked at each other from afar, without contact. Fonseca annoyed – let’s say even furious, if you like chilli pepper – at the attitudes of his full-back. Theo is not enthusiastic about the summer benches (Saelemaekers starting in his place) and the winter ones (out against Genoa and Verona). Then something happened. Yesterday, on the sidelines of the last training session before Milan-Roma, Fonseca and Hernandez spoke to each other. A complete, serious speech, in which they talked about training, matches, attitudes. Only they know the exact words, but the meaning is clear: Theo wants to play again, Fonseca has asked to give more because he wants to see the devastating full-back of the past again. It’s not the first conversation of the season, it could become the most important: the two found themselves on the same page and Theo will be in the starting lineup tonight against Roma.

How we got there

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The epilogue was not obvious because Fonseca, without that speech, would have still kept Hernandez out. A question of coherence with the past and management of the group: equal laws for everyone. However, something has changed in recent days. Theo ended up on the bench on December 20th in Verona and, when he came on, he played badly, but really badly. Fonseca didn’t attack like after Milan-Stella Rossa, when Theo was the real recipient of the outburst with the journalists, and asked him to train on December 23, his day off. Theo went to Milanello and that was a first sign. Yesterday’s training, good for him and the whole team, did the rest.

Must win

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Fonseca and Theo will play their future together, and it’s very wise. For Hernandez it’s both a question of reputation – how can one of the top three full-backs in the world end up on the bench? – and of the future, with the market eternally on the horizon. For Fonseca, the point is to keep a bench that always seems on the verge of falling apart. With a week to go until the Super Cup which will award the first trophy, it’s better to all row in the same direction, and row hard. In fact, Milan and Roma have run out of bonuses. Milan is eighth, Roma tenth. Fonseca is 5 points away from fifth place, the last hope of the Champions League, Ranieri 7 points further down. Everyone is chasing their concept of Europe but everyone needs to win to take advantage of a day that offers direct clashes between rivals: Lazio against Atalanta yesterday, Fiorentina against Juventus today.

Pulisic no, Bennacer yes

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Milan, of course, will be as experimental as necessary. Terracciano midfielder together with Fofana. Reijnders attacking midfielder. Jimenez outside high. Tammy Abraham will go to the bench, who evidently doesn’t convince Fonseca. In all this, good news and bad news. The bad: Christian Pulisic will go to the stands. “An ankle problem has arisen, he’s not ready to play,” Fonseca said. The good: Ismael Bennacer can play. Fonseca made it clear: he will enter the second half. There’s enough to stay at attention: Fonseca finds Roma again, San Siro recognizes El Shaarawy, Theo sees Saelemaekers again on the wing, who played in his place on the first day. The ghosts of the past, all summoned.