Theo Hernandez after Milan-Napoli: “I let the pitch do the talking”

His cheek returned. The beautiful one, the one that drives the fans crazy, that is liked by those who respect him, with all due respect to Pioli’s coronary arteries. We imagine that the Rossoneri coach didn’t like it much when in the 85th minute, with all the Rossoneri tongues hanging out, Hernandez decided to go on his own and step on the accelerator in the middle of the pitch, allowing himself a near-tunnel to Juan Jesus while he was surrounded only by blue shirts. Let’s say that if he hadn’t gotten the number, he would have had to worry a lot. Theo is like this, the fact is that when he finds evenings like these he is not afraid of anything and, more often than not, those who are not afraid of anything can do even the most difficult things. Or more dangerous, obviously.

distant times

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The extra three kilometers that the Devil travels on the road to the Champions League bear the signature of Hernandez and it is great news for the Rossoneri world because too many times this season the Frenchman had lost his way. There was something wrong, something wasn’t working and maybe one day he will explain it to us. If he wants, he will tell us why he didn’t celebrate after the goal against Fiorentina, for example. Distant times, different postcards. This time he couldn’t stand it anymore. Perhaps because he went to the hole in his own way, galloping towards the goal like a high-speed train, which, although inflated, remains the most effective metaphor to describe him when he slips into the flank. The ball was served to him by his little brother Leao. They arrived at Milanello together, and together they built Theao, potentially the strongest left wing in the world. After throwing it in Theo went to hug him and it was a liberating hug. Total.

tactics and head

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Lately he has started marching with rhythm again. Two goals and an assist in the last five league games and tonight the Frenchman demonstrated that he has made a double leap in quality, when the coach’s needs brought him back to the center of defense for a handful of minutes. A three-way line, where he was on the center left, watching the back of baby Jimenez. Which, incidentally, reminds him a lot in some of his movements. Double leap in quality because from central Theo responded effectively again. So: tactical and mental maturity, in the transition from the wing to guarding the territories in front of Maignan. “We had a bit of a complicated period, we worked giving our best and thanks to this we are winning – he said after the match -. The goal? We didn’t prepare him… I do my job, which is to play well and make the fans happy. The celebration? I speak on the field. It’s true that there have been matches in which I wasn’t good, but thanks to work every day I get better. Leao is an incredible player, when he doesn’t score he gives assists. People don’t see the work he does every day on the field, we are happy to have him like this. Scudetto? No. We do our job, then when the derby arrives we’ll think about it. Now let’s think about Thursday.” Pioli’s analysis on Theo is also very interesting: “He played some games as a central defender out of necessity, he was very helpful. Last year he had difficulty getting over the disappointment of losing the World Cup and the fatigue, but this year I found him much more positive and proactive. He is becoming a leader. Then he doesn’t talk much, but he is. The matches in which he played as a central defender made him understand how attentive and aggressive he can be.”