Chiesa imitates his father in sinking Milan to drag Juve back into title race | Nicky Bandini | Football

Did Federico Chiesa take some ideas from his father earlier than Juventus’s go to to Milan? Enrico scored objectives all over the place he went in his profession, however lining up in opposition to the Rossoneri at all times appeared to attract out one thing further: the red-and-black flag to his bull.

He punctured them 17 instances in 24 encounters throughout Serie A and the Coppa Italia, greater than he managed in opposition to every other membership. Not unhealthy when you think about the names of a few of the defenders despatched in opposition to him: Baresi, Costacurta, Maldini, Nesta and Stam.

The again 4 that began for Milan on Wednesday was not fairly in that class. Alessio Romagnoli and Simon Kjær have fashioned an encouraging partnership at centre-back, however a sense persists that the Italian has not but realised his full potential, whereas his associate’s lack of tempo might be uncovered. On the proper facet of defence, Diogo Dalot made solely his third Serie A begin.

Theo Hernández, considered one of Milan’s finest signings in years, nonetheless has a strategy to go earlier than being thought of in such illustrious firm. And this is able to turn into one of many left-back’s worst video games for a while.

There weren’t 20 minutes performed when Chiesa left Hernández in his wake for the primary time, shimmying in from the right-hand touchline, slicing the ball sq. for Paulo Dybala and accelerating in direction of the penalty field. The ball got here again to him by way of the Argentinian’s masterful heel-flick, and Chiesa buried it into the far nook.

It was a panoramic begin to a recreation that might maintain its viewers gasping. Chiesa had already struck the woodwork, slamming a half-volley into the right-hand upright, after Wojciech Szczesny produced an vital near-post cease to thwart Samu Castillejo on the different finish.

The stakes had been as excessive as they may very well be at such an early stage of a marketing campaign. Milan, unbeaten in 28 league video games, had a chance to maneuver 4 factors clear on the high following Inter’s defeat to Sampdoria earlier on Wednesday. Extra important nonetheless, a win would have left Juventus – champions of the previous 9 Serie A seasons – 13 factors adrift.

Each groups had been lacking key gamers. Milan have been with out Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ismaël Bennacer since mid-December, however a suspension to Sandro Tonali, coupled with optimistic Covid assessments for Rade Krunic and Ante Rebic left them so quick that supervisor Stefano Pioli was compelled to draft right-back Davide Calabria into central midfield.

Juventus needed to do with out Álvaro Morata up entrance – the one participant in addition to Cristiano Ronaldo of their squad who had scored greater than twice on this league season. Each of their very own beginning full-backs, Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado, had been out after testing optimistic for Covid as nicely.

Neither facet, although, appeared prepared to let such setbacks discourage them from attempting to play on the entrance foot. Alternatives got here thick and quick all through the primary 45 minutes. It was a Bentancur backheel inside his personal penalty field that arrange that early likelihood for Castillejo, and Aaron Ramsey was each bit as careless with a cross throughout the face the realm that went straight to Milan’s Jens Petter Hauge.

The Rossoneri equalised within the forty first minute, Calabria inserting a stunning first-time end into the highest nook from the sting of the field. A 1-1 scoreline was a good reflection of the stability of play, however it was a shock to not see VAR intervene after Hakan Calhanoglu had appeared to foul Adrien Rabiot firstly of the transfer.

Chiesa, although, was not completed. One month earlier, after Juventus’s win over Dinamo Kyiv, a journalist had requested him whether or not there have been any traits he wish to steal from his dad. Federico didn’t point out Milan, again then, however as an alternative replied: “his means to shoot off both foot. He had phenomenal co-ordination.”

Maybe he has inherited greater than he is aware of. Having scored the opener along with his proper boot, Chiesa put Juventus again in entrance with the left, working straight at Hernández to place the defender off stability earlier than selecting out the underside nook, giving Gianluigi Donnarumma no likelihood even from 20 yards out.

It was the turning level. Milan didn’t yield however, for the primary time in virtually a 12 months, Pioli’s younger and overachieving group had come up in opposition to a home opponent they merely didn’t have solutions for. When Chiesa limped out of the sport after scoring his second, Andrea Pirlo despatched on Dejan Kulusevski – a €35m signing – to switch him.

The second-half substitutions spoke to the realities of each groups. Juventus went on to introduce Weston McKennie, Arthur and Federico Bernardeschi from the bench. Milan had Pierre Kalulu, a 20-year-old centre-back, along with teenage academy graduates Daniel Maldini and Lorenzo Colombo.

It was McKennie who made it 3-1 to Juventus, from a Kulsevski help. A better vindication of Juventus’s summer time switch technique was arduous to think about. On an evening the place Cristiano Ronaldo did not sparkle, three younger gamers who arrived collectively this summer time had taken over a very powerful recreation of the league season to this point, dragging their group again into the title image.

Chiesa, although, was the best gamble. He was the final to reach, this October, and there have been many who thought of his signing to be superfluous for a membership that already appeared to have too many choices to deploy in help of Ronaldo – from Kulusevski, Dybala, Bernardeschi and Ramsey by way of to the newly-returned Morata. Was it actually crucial so as to add Chiesa – whose deal is structured as a mortgage with obligation to purchase, however might ultimately value them €60m in switch charges – on high?

If he can proceed as he has began in 2021, there might be no doubts. He had already scored, and sparkled, in the 4-1 rout of Udinese on the weekend, and on Wednesday Pirlo was particular in highlighting the completely different choices Chiesa provides to the group as a participant who might dominate one-on-ones within the closing 30 metres of the pitch.

The participant himself most popular to deflect the reward, crediting the supervisor for encouraging him to assault the penalty field extra, and his Juventus teammates for displaying him new tips. “On the finish of coaching we get along with Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Paulo [Dybala],” he mentioned. “The youthful gamers – me and Kulusevski – watch them and attempt to steal one thing.”

In spite of everything these years observing his father, he has grown right into a most completed thief.