AC Milan will host Napoli at San Siro and they have the chance to go 17 points above them in the table, but they have not won against tonight’s opponents in a home league game since 12 December 2014.
Calciomercato.com write how Ismael Bennacer’s position will be fundamental in Milan’s tactical approach Given the excellent performances of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the Algerian will not be deployed as an attacking midfielder.
When Bennacer has performed that role, such as before his knee injury that season, he held the double role of being a disruptor in the non-possession phase and a glue in the attacking phase.
Tonight he will be returning to his natural role as a midfielder in front of the defence, alongside Yacine Adli. In all likelihood, the former Empoli player will act on the centre-right with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his opponent.
Even if Walter Mazzarri deployed the Georgia as a second striker in a 3-5-1-1, the Algerian would be ready to take care of him because he has the intensity, speed and agility that his midfield partner Adli perhaps doesn’t.
Bennacer is used to being decisive against Napoli: last season he was the match winner in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Last year he started from the attacking midfield, tonight he will play as a midfielder, but his position on the pitch and his style of play will create more than a few problems for the lines of Mazzarri’s men, who will have to deal with his ability to manage ball possession, vertical movement and runs.
Pioli knows it and is ready to re-entrust the keys of the midfield to Bennacer, who is equally eager to regain an undisputed starting spot.
