Since Gennaro Gattuso has become the coach of AC Milan, the importance of Giacomo Bonaventura in the Rossoneri squad has increased significantly due to his direct involvement in their goals.
The 28-year-old Diavolo midfielder had only provided one assist in the early stages of the 2017-18 season under former tactician Vincenzo Montella but he has remained fit in recent months and become a more influential figure in the team.
In the eight Serie A matches that Gattuso has been in charge, the Diavolo have scored just 10 goals and Bonaventura has been directly involved in five of them, scoring four and providing one assist.
On Sunday evening, AC Milan defeated Lazio 2-1 and the former Atalanta midfielder scored the winner for the Rossoneri, running onto Davide Calabria’s curving cross from the right-wing and heading the ball past Thomas Strakosha in the Aquile goal just before half-time.
Making late runs into the penalty area before taking a shot has become a hallmark of his game throughout his Serie A career but for the decisive goal against Lazio he demonstrated that he had the football intelligence to make the run into the box and to time the header to perfection.
Before his goal on the weekend, the 28-year-old was involved in both goals against Benevento as well as the Rossoneri’s two goals against Bologna in Weeks 15 and 16 respectively in Serie A.
He scored with a diving header against the Stregoni and his cross from the right-wing allowed Nikola Kalinic to head the ball in from point blank range.
In the clash against the Felsinei, he opened the scoring after Kalinic headed the ball down into his path and side-footed it into the net, and then he netted the winner from a header after Fabio Borini made a long and curving cross from the right-wing.
The arrival of Gattuso has been beneficial for Bonaventura but the wide midfielder has also attributed a return to fitness for his current scoring form.
“I had a bit of a difficult start to the season because I had some physical problems and little time to prepare myself,” Bonaventura told Sky Sport Italia.
“I needed to work hard to have a good start to the season but I was out for a few matches. Now I am in good condition, I am happy, and I want to go forward like this until the end.
“There is also a good atmosphere in the dressing room now.”
Bonaventura has never scored more than seven goals in a Serie A campaign, which he did once for Atalanta in 2012-13 and again at AC Milan in 2014-15, and the most that he has scored in a competition was nine goals in the 2010-11 Serie B season for La Dea.
If he keeps going at this rate, then the Rossoneri midfielder should be able to surpass those tallies with consummate ease.
