GdS: Battle of the French midfielders as Milan and Roma prepare for crucial clash

Tomorrow’s clash between AC Milan and Roma will offer some exciting player battles, especially in midfield where two Frenchmen have been making their mark lately. 

As highlighted by today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, the game will bring us an interesting battle in midfield between two competitors: Adrien Rabiot and Manu Koné. Both were born in the outskirts of Paris, one north and one south of the capital, and they have become key players for the national team.

In fact, they have played together six times under the management of Didier Deschamps, with the first time being the 3-1 win against Italy at San Siro. It just so happens that Rabiot scored a brace in that clash.

Rabiot adds class and physicality

Today, having made San Siro his home, Rabiot has become an irreplaceable player for the Rossoneri and the focal point of the midfield. With him on the pitch, Milan have never lost: Allegro’s only defeat came in the Serie A opener against Cremonese, when the Frenchman hadn’t joined yet.

With Rabiot in the starting eleven, Milan have played thirteen games, winning ten and drawing three. Furthermore, the point in Florence was earned only after the Rossoneri’s No.12 had entered the game.

Image: AC Milan

The above is far from a coincidence: the midfielder brings quality, muscle, and above all leadership. Rabiot is second only to Luka Modric in terms of the average Gazzetta dello Sport rating (6.78 to 6.65) and career trophies (34 for Luka, 21 for Adrien).

Regardless of whether he’s playing as a playmaker or an attacking midfielder, he provides class and physicality. Against Como, he took his tally for the season up to three goals. Speaking of numbers, he cost Milan around €15m and today, at 30 years old, he’s worth triple that.

Tomorrow, the second-placed team will be up against the fourth-placed team, with a Champions League spot at stake. At the heart of everything, there is Rabiot vs. Koné.

Koné wants revenge

Just like Rabiot for Milan, Koné also wants to lead Roma. The Frenchman knows that beating Milan would completely change the team’s outlook, even pushing for second place. He also has a bone to pick with the Rossoneri, having won just once in four attempts against them.

Even in the first leg, in a match where Roma dominated for large parts, Koné didn’t exactly shine. Tomorrow can thus be described as a perfect opportunity for the midfielder to prove himself, especially in terms of being concrete in the final third.

That said, in the last three weeks, he’s scored twice (against Genoa and Sassuolo). This is a sign that the 24-year-old is growing in self-confidence and personality, aspects that have made him a cornerstone of Gasperini’s side.

It’s possible that he could be sacrificed by Roma in the summer for budget reasons, as the paper concludes, but with a win tomorrow he would increase his chances of staying (Champions League qualification).