World Cup 2018: How it went for Milan players
AC Milan players are back from international duty and ready to continue the fight in Serie A. Let’s see how it went for many of them.
THE TENSION AND THE MASK
There have been two specific moments which have united AC Milan fans with Italy in the San Siro night. The first was when Paolo Maldini arriving at the stadium said: “I’ve been really tense in the past week”. The great human side of the legendary Red and Black and Italy captain who played for the Azzurri from 1988 through 2002. But also when Leonardo Bonucci threw his protective mask beyond the byline. A gesture of great intensity and dedication, his final attempt to resist the aftermath. Memories to hold on to in these heavy days for Italian football.
LEO AND GIGIO
The hug in tears between Gigi Buffon and ‘his’ Leo. Bonucci has to restart from here. After putting his knee at risk to start an important offensive play for the Azzurri in the first half and after renouncing to protect his fractured nose, despite the hard lesson and not making it to the World Cup, Bonucci showed on the pitch what the word “give it your all” means. And then there’s ‘Gigione Donnarumma’, who Buffon named his heir with watery eyes after the match. You’re up now, Gigio. It’s only the beginning.
RICARDO AND NIKOLA, FULL SPEED AHEAD
Swiss media named a hero among the players who gave Switzerland a ticket for the World Cup: Ricardo Rodriguez, who scored the winning goal from the spot in the first leg played in Belfast and saved a certain goal on the goalline in the return match against Northern Ireland. After having struggled with a light muscular injury, our left back in top gear. The same happened to Nikola Kalinic who, in the first leg of the Playoffs against Greece, was decisive in winning the penalty that gave Croatia the goal for 1-0 and scoring the goal for 2-0. And Nikola, who grew up with Hajduk Split, left the pitch with a standing ovation from the fans in the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. And out there things like this don’t happen every day.
KESSIE DRAWS A LINE
It’s a disappointment for Franck Kessie too who didn’t make it to Russia 2018 after failing to qulify with his Ivory Coast. A hard hit for the Elephants, but our midfielder needs to keep his head up, to put order in his heart and his mind. The Red and Black, from a psychological and muscular standpoint, needs to play to bounce back with great motivation after such a great disappointment.
WE HAD MADE IT ALREADY
It was in Euro 2016 that only two Rossoneri took part in the campaign – Kucka and De Sciglio – but the 2018 World Cup is ready to host more Red and Blacks. And this thanks to Cristian Zapata, Lucas Biglia, André Silva and Suso who already qualified for Russia 2018 topping their groups, and to Nikola Kalinic and Ricardo Rodriguez who won in the playoffs. Our hope now is to see Mateo Musacchio making it back in the Seleccion thanks to his performances with AC Milan.