Milan, the judgments after the test with Cologne: Rebic, Adli, Bakayoko

Tests that help to give answers, to trace the very first budgets. Who is on the ball, who is less, who has his head elsewhere, who needs time. AC Milan wins 2-1 with Cologne and offers a picture of the situation one month from the start of Serie A. Giroud very well, Adli and Rebic convince, Bakayoko disappoints.

Super Olivier

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Olivier Giroud had also dispensed with flashes last year, in the pre-season, and the AC Milan fans know how it ended. A goal in Nice just arrived, a couple at Panathinaikos on a neutral field, 14 during the season and then… voilà, champion of Italy. Now he has started again: two rings at the Cologne to make everyone understand that he has the same hunger as ten years ago, when he won his first title in Montpellier. Among other things, the first goal is a touch of up from number 10. Rebic frees him with a heel, Giroud collects the invitation, jumps the goalkeeper with an easy easy dig and then puts it on the net, with ease.

The second, on the other hand, is the manifesto of a tip with an always lethal repertoire. Stop in the running, powerful shot, goal and game closed in half an hour. Pioli, silent, takes notes on the bench, and in the meantime he laughs.

Rebic and Adli

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The captain’s armband galvanized him, made him happier, stronger. It shows. Ante Rebic, fresh from the first goal of the pre-season made as a captain against Lemine Almenno, this time all bewitched by assistmen. The action of Giroud’s goal is all of him: he triggers Messias, he gets the ball back and frees the Frenchman with a heel shot to see and review. Rebic seems to be back as always, the Croatian unpredictable from great rounds of returns and heavy goals. Pioli has always esteemed him, praised him, defended him when it was right to do so, because behind the bad season finale last year there was a cursed knee. Matches like this show that Milan can count on it. The last slot of the ‘best three’ is taken by the usual Yacine Adli, one that the fans have already fallen in love with. He enters at 45 ‘and immediately stops a high ball with disarming ease, then immediately goes to the shot. Finally he gets rid of an opponent with an applause dribble. In the final he also stands out for his personality and courage, going to defend Maldini. Football in July, but the fans are already in high spirits. “I don’t know about you, but I gasa”, they write on social media.

Baka, so no

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Bakayoko doesn’t even get in friendly. The last match of the Frenchman’s level, now out of plan despite the two-year loan from Chelsea, dates back to the year of Gattuso (2018-19). Slow, bewildered, packed, the former Napoli can’t find the square (replaced by Brescianini in the 75th minute). At the moment he is the fifth midfielder in the squad after Tonali, Bennacer, Pobega and Adli, waiting for the transfer market (Renato Sanches is always at the top of the list, even if the chances of catching him are decreasing). Last year Bakayoko played 18 games, 607 minutes in all competitions. From January to May 2022 he played only once, 10 ‘at home against Atalanta. Last in the hierarchies.