AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali is blossoming into a star this season. At 21-years-old, he’s cemented his spot in the Rossoneri starting 11 and continues to pour in strong efforts and performances. Milan’s latest victory over Lazio was yet another example, as Tonali found the back of the net in the dying embers of the match to secure three points. He remains a major reason why Milan has a shot at the Scudetto this season.
AC Milan Midfielder Sandro Tonali Progress in 2021/22 Clear
The Numbers
Tonali’s statistical numbers aren’t going to wow anybody as he’s a defensive midfielder at heart. With that being said, he does hold three goals and three assists to his name in 32 Serie A matches. He also holds six Champions League and three Coppa Italia appearances to his name. It’s clear that Milan trusts Tonali with the amount of time he gets on the pitch.
This is a major upgrade from last season. Last year, Tonali had 25 league appearances, 11 Europa League appearances, and one in the Coppa Italia. In all those matches, he also did not contribute with a single goal or assist. He had just arrived in Milan as a youngster and was clearly hitting a learning curve. Tonali put that all behind him, however, as he’s as consistent as midfielders come.
The large majority of his appearances this season have been starts as well. This isn’t an easy feat considering Milan manager Stefano Pioli uses a 4-2-3-1 formation and has names such as Franck Kessie, Ismael Bennacer, and Tiémoué Bakayoko at his disposal. Tonali has surpassed all as Milan’s most reliable player in the position. Furthermore, Kessie will join Barcelona in the summer. This would have sparked panic just a year ago, but that’s no longer the case due to Tonali’s emergence.
The Future
Tonali is most certainly a starter moving into next season. His running mate in the midfield will likely be Bennacer, but Milan are showing interest in others, like Renato Sanches, as well. Milan are also rumoured to be in major takeover talks that could result in the arrivals of other big-name players.
The young Italian grew up supporting Milan. Now he’s helping them get back into the Champions League and competing for league glory. At just 21-years-old, the future is very bright.
Milan are putting a major emphasis on youth, with Tonali being one of the focal points. The list of young players goes on and on, such as Rafael Leao, Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu, Theo Hernandez, Brahim Diaz, and others. They are paired with experienced veterans, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olivier Giroud, and Simon Kjaer. The goal is to have the youngsters earn plenty of playing time while learning from past stars.
It’s safe to say that this plan has worked wonderfully for the club. Tonali, and the others, are great examples of this. Tonali is already earning call-ups to the Italian National Team as well, and his legend will grow quickly should Milan finish off the season strong and lift the Scudetto at the end of next month.
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