Since making his move from Bergamo to Milan, Giacomo Bonaventura’s performances for the Rossoneri have somewhat slipped under the radar. This season, however, as the club return to challenging for Europe, the Italian’s importance is becoming more difficult to overlook.
Gone are the days of scintillating football at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, the presence of superstar footballers marginalised and European football absent. In a new and daunting period for Milanese sides, the emphasis has shifted from star-factor to tactical mastery.
Limited by the players at their disposal and in many ways inferior to clubs from Rome, Turin and Florence, implementing a match-winning formula has become a necessity for both Inter and AC Milan.
After a shaky start to the season and speculation over his suitability for the position, it seems Sinisa Mihajlovic has settled into his role as Milan boss. His previous experience with cross-town rivals Inter may have hindered his chances of keeping his job, but Mihajlovic has survived each setback and finally looks to have enforced his ideas on the squad. Chief among those has been his focus on hard work and commitment, characterised on the pitch and embodied by his players; notably Giacomo Bonaventura.
The former Atalanta starlet has become something of a talisman at the San Siro this season. While some have viewed this in a negative light: suggesting Milan need a player of greater quality fulfilling this role, this betrays a naivety to ‘Gentleman Jack’s’ true value.
While not altogether recognisable by name to a majority of football fans across Europe, there’s no question Bonaventura has been the heartbeat of the team and directly responsible for a number a wins. His recent injury showed just how highly rated he has become to Milan supporters, who desperately wanted him back for key fixtures such as the Napoli game.
Under Mihajlovic, he has reverted back to his more preferred role as the left-sided midfielder, rather than playing as a trequartista or winger. This position allows Bonaventura more time on the ball and gives him space to orchestrate an attacking move from deeper starting positions.
Club president Silvio Berlusconi recently alluded to Bonaventura as a trequartista, but despite his ignorance to the midfielder’s positioning he has nonetheless confirmed a widely-held opinion: Bonaventura has been an integral for the Milan this campaign.
Others have played an important part in the recent rejuvenation, particularly in the defence. Alex has cemented his position as the defensive partner for Alessio Romagnoli, acting as the experienced member of an otherwise youthful back-line.
Ignazio Abate has started to find some steam in more recent matches, but his performances have been dwarfed by those of Luca Antonelli; who could well be the best full-back in the Milan squad.
Juraj Kucka, who certainly appeals to the ideals Mihajlovic has laid out in his work rate, has been solid in the midfield and looks a real bargain. Fans, in particular, have been surprised by the Slovakian, who came in from Genoa as an alternative to Geoffrey Kondogbia; the Frenchman later joining Inter. Kucka was instrumental in the 3-0 derby success, winning back lost possession relentlessly and charging at the Nerazzurri defenders when offered the space.
One of the more pleasing aspects of this return to form has been the change in fortunes for Keisuke Honda. The Japanese international couldn’t get a game at his lowest point of the campaign, kept out of the starting XI by Alessio Cerci. Vocal in his disapproval of how the club was run and with talk of an imminent transfer, it seemed time was up for Honda.
However, the actions of Mihajlovic saw Honda stay and ultimately replace Cerci in the first team. Two assists and a goal since the new year, the former CSKA Moscow star has been a credit to the team’s resilience; an advert for the benefits of hard work and commitment.
Hard work, commitment and passion are rather cliched buzzwords that have become associated with Mihajlovic, but some cliches are such because they are true. The mindset and mentality he has implemented within this Rossoneri squad seem to suggest that Milan are a club on the rise once more, and this climb is largely down to their lesser-known names.
