GdS: ‘The baby and the giants’ – how Bartesaghi slotted seamlessly into Milan’s defence

Not many saw Davide Bartesaghi becoming an established starter before a ball was kicked this season, but that is exactly what he is.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning, Bartesaghi is now a fixed pillar of the defensive line along with Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic, plus Alexis Saelemaekers on the opposite flank.

Bartesaghi has earned his position thanks to his performances – as the other names mentioned have – and it feels like the teenager is very much on the right path.

A Futuro success story

The match against Lazio confirmed the level that the left-back is playing at. After coming through the academy and making his first-team debut on 23 September 2023 under Stefano Pioli, Bartesaghi picked up a red card in his first match last season, on 27 September 2024 against Lecce.

On May 17, a few days after losing the Coppa Italia final (which he watched from the bench), he was relegated to Serie D with Milan Futuro following the play-off against SPAL. These negative incidents could have damaged his growth, and yet instead he has begun filling Theo Hernandez’s shoes.

He started out as a backup to new signing Pervis Estupinan, but now the Italy U21 international is starting week-in week-out, much to the delight of his mother Stefania and father Daniele, the man who drove him to training.

Now he’s aiming to be called up for the national team’s play-offs in March or for the World Cup. “A dream I have to make come true by continuing to work hard,” he admitted. Meanwhile, Milan have renewed his contract until 2030 and holding him up to show the Milan Futuro project is bearing fruit.

Jovan Kirovski, head of the U23 project, admitted: “We’re very happy for Bartesaghi. Last year, with Milan Futuro, he had a big journey that helped him get used to playing against experienced players. We congratulate him and thank him for what he’s instilling in the younger players: for them, he’s an example of humility and character.”

The defensive wall

Then there’s the defense, which is working brilliantly, With seven clean sheets in 13 games, as last happened in 2006-07. Tomori, Gabbia, and Pavlovic – who last year were in and out of the starting pairings, thanks to their alternating mistakes – are now three pillars there.

Gabbia is confident on the pitch and has become the symbol of Milan’s spirit, speaking in the dressing room. Tomori has demonstrated his connection to the shirt by turning down offers from both Juventus and the Premier League. Pavlovic is working on the lapses that cost him dearly in 2024-25.

Maignan has taken the spotlight with his saves, but the defensive phase is undoubtedly one of the team’s strengths, something Adrien Rabiot and Luka Modric are helping with too.

How much credit does Allegri deserve? A lot, especially because now everyone knows how to move in every tactical situation. That is, with a 3-5-2, a 5-4-1, or a 4-4-2.

To continue improving (and achieve the primary objective, qualifying for next season’s Champions League), Max believes the defence will need to concede few goals. We’re not yet at the level of his Juventus BBC (Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini), but ‘TGP’ could soon catch on.