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The derby between Inter and AC Milan is 10 days away, but the Italian media have already begun talking about the various battles that will take place on the field.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning, it took just a few months of lessons from the master of defence – Massimiliano Allegri – to transform Strahinja Pavlovic. His first season had ups and downs, but now he is an ever-present in the side, and he has become decisive at both ends.
Milan’s Duracell
Pavlovic’s growth stems, first and foremost, from the faith Allegri showed in him. In 2024-25, the former Red Bull Salzburg player struggled desperately to find consistency.
He never started more than four consecutive Serie A games under Fonseca, and only became a key player at the end of the season under Conceiçao, when Milan switched to a three-man defence. In hindsight, it was a rehearsal for this season.
Despite his summer plans, Allegri has consistently used a 3-5-2 formation in competitive matches. This formation has brought out the Serbian’s strengths. By co-ordinating with Gabbia in the centre and the left-back (Estupinan or Bartesaghi), the Serbian was able to focus on physical duels with more coverage while also attempting his trademark attacking forays, with or without the ball.
Milan thus discovered a reliable outside centre-back who is dangerous up front, too. Max practically never gives up on him unless forced to. In the league, he was substituted on just two occasions: due to injury at half-time in the win over Bologna, and in the second half of the 3-0 win the following week against Udinese.
If we also include the Coppa Italia, Pavlovic has played 1,092 minutes of his 1,170 total. For Milan, only Alexis Saelemaekers has been on the pitch more, with 1,095 minutes. Just in Serie A, Pavlovic and the Belgian join Gabbia, Modric and Fofana as the quintet of those who have always started under Allegri.
The derby awaits
Of the five games against Inter last year, Pavlovic started just two: the 1-1 draw in the league second leg and the 3-0 Rossoneri win in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg.
Aside from those, he played just one minute in his first Milan derby (last season’s first league game, which Milan won 2-1) and sat out the entirety of the Supercoppa Italiana final in Saudi Arabia and the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.
His first year in the shadow of the Duomo was a time of acclimatisation, with several ups and downs. Strahinja is now much more comfortable at San Siro, a stadium that has learned to appreciate his recoveries and gladiatorial tackles, but which has also celebrated two goals too.
In home league games, only Rafael Leao has scored more than him with three. The secret? The Meazza itself, as he told Serbia’s official channels: “I’ll see Wembley for the first time with the national team, but San Siro remains the most impressive stadium I’ve ever played in.”
The left-footed centre-back, however, is still missing a goal in the derby. Who knows, November 23rd might be the right time, even if his first concern – shared with that of his coach – will be to keep Maignan’s goal safe.
Meanwhile, Pavlovic is enjoying a golden moment off the pitch as well. As announced to the world after the 1-0 win against Roma, complete with a ‘baby bump’ celebration, he’ll become a father for the first time in April. That is the most beautiful thing to celebrate.
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