Milan, From Tonali to Bennacer, the ‘relegated’ who made Milan’s fortune

Three of them brought with them comments like this: “Strong, good, very good, but we made the transfer market with three relegated players”. Krunic and Bennacer with Empoli in 2019 and Messias with Crotone last year. The fourth, Sandro Tonali, finished in Serie B with Brescia in 2020, a little less than the others. Milan have been able to enhance them all. Now I’m four points from the Scudetto. Those who have experienced a relegation year and then made the big leap.

From Empoli

–

Bennacer and Krunic were the first, both taken in 2019 after an excellent championship with Empoli. Sixteen million for the Algerian – champion of Africa and best player of the tournament – and 8 for the Bosnian, Andreazzoli’s joker who became multi-role even with Pioli. Krunic made the winger, the attacking midfielder, the halfback, the false nine. The Rossoneri coach has always spoken well of him: “Having him with us is a fortune”. In the final minutes of Milan-Genoa he even played as a right-back. This year, in a back-up season, he has played 33 times with few flaws. In 2023 he will turn thirty, he is not a phenomenon and he does not solve matches alone, but he knows how to stay on the pitch. Promoted and appreciated. Bennacer, on the other hand, was the beacon of Pioli’s midfield until the beginning of the year. He and Kessie dragged Milan into the Champions League. Despite a few fewer games as a starter, he scored two decisive goals against Bologna and Cagliari, right at the corner. Certainty.

From Brescia

–

“Leader”, “dominant”, “all-fighter”. “Future of the national team”. It is no longer news. Tonali took Milan to never leave them. The judgments are these and are always recurring. The brace at Verona also made him a “bomber”, 5 goals in the league, never so many in his career (maximum three in Brescia in 2018-19, in Serie B). There was a time when Cellino told Boscaglia to put him on the bench because he wanted to hide it. He still didn’t have a professional contract. After a fluctuating first year, 37 games without particular flashes, he has become another player. However, higher costs: about 20 million (with a discount from Brescia). This year he has only missed two games, one due to disqualification and the other due to simple turnover (Cagliari). For Pioli he resembles De Rossi. Undisputed leader.

From Crotone

–

Woe to call it a fairy tale. She reiterated it too. A well-known story about him: he delivered refrigerators through the streets of Turin, now he plays in Serie A. Compared to the other three, perhaps, he is the one who has had more difficulties in adapting. Arrived late in condition, Messias played the first few minutes at the beginning of October against Atalanta and then got hurt. Two months off. Once back he decided the match against Genoa with a brace, scored for Atletico in the Champions League and also hurt Roma, before disappearing a bit. Fluctuating, discontinuous, great plays and long pauses, last year he tried to save Crotone without success (9 goals and 4 assists). To redeem it you need just over 5 million. Evaluations underway, but age (31), costs and performance are tipping the scales towards no.