Why Bertolacci Is the AC Milan Player Who Must Produce After International Break

Arriving for a fee of €20 million, Andrea Bertolacci was one of AC Milan’s three big-money acquisitions in the summer of 2015. In terms of transfer-fee expenditure, only Alessio Romagnoli (€25 million) and Carlos Bacca (€30 million) cost more than him. However, despite the grand entrance, he has yet to begin proving his worth on the pitch.

In fact, according to WhoScored.com, Bertolacci is one of Milan’s worst regular outfield performers, with a rating of 6.43. It’s a long way from the form he achieved with his previous club, Genoa.

Tano Pecoraro/Associated Press

Under Gian Piero Gasperini’s astute management, Bertolacci enjoyed the best year of his career. Last season, he set up eight goals, scored six and won a call-up to the Azzurri, for whom he is now a squad regular.

This all preceded his summer move to Milan, and at the age of 24, it was believed this was only the beginning of his rise. Yet since the move, Bertolacci has found good form hard to come by. The lofty transfer fee brought with it certain expectations that he has yet to fulfill.

Having once again been called up to the national team, he will now enjoy a short break from the pressures associated with performing in a Rossoneri shirt with a hefty price tag hanging over his head. But once he has returned from international duty, the expectations will still be there, and he will have to improve in order to meet them.

A fine technical central midfielder, Bertolacci has been playing in a "mezzala" role since joining Milan. This entails him playing on the outside left or right of a central midfield three, an important position in Sinisa Mihajlovic’s favoured 4-3-1-2 formation.

One of the main problem areas for Milan in recent times has been the openness of their midfield, an issue that an elegant player like Bertolacci was not going to be able to address on his own.

His displays since the start of this season reflect his discomfort in the wider role that Mihajlovic is asking him to play. Even factoring in issues such as a settling-in period, his statistics have been poor.

Bertolacci has contributed fewer tackles per game than fellow midfielders Juraj Kucka and Riccardo Montolivo. He has also made far fewer interceptions than any of his midfield colleagues.

To make matters worse, the slick, accurate passing that he was supposed to bring with him from Genoa has gone missing in his new role. His pass-success percentage is among the worst in the entire Milan squad.

Evidently, Bertolacci is yet to adjust to his new role. Given Milan's desire for immediate positive results, the key concern is therefore if and when he will adjust.

Those who have coached Bertolacci in the past have a lot to say about his optimal position. Gasperini told La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia) that he preferred Bertolacci in the middle of the action, saying, “That’s where I like him best, where the game is most lively.”

However, Luigi Del Neri—who also worked with Bertolacci while coaching Genoa—believes he would be best used in another position within Mihajlovic’s diamond midfield, stating:

"

Bertolacci can play in the [Andrea] Pirlo role. In the diamond formation, I'd place him in front of the defence, because he can break up the game and has a skilled foot. I can't see him just as easily behind the strikers.

"

Massimo Pinca/Associated Press

Del Neri’s comments suggest that Bertolacci’s passing range and technique may be best utilised in a more withdrawn central role, where he can see the game unfurl in front of him and pick holes in the opposition.

It’s a fair suggestion, and that position does exist within Milan’s midfield three, though it is currently being well occupied by Montolivo.

Bertolacci hasn’t done much wrong since joining Milan. He had nothing to do with the price paid to sign him, and considering his level of talent and his relatively young age, he deserves to be given the chance to prove those who admire him right.

However, whether he can do this while playing the position currently assigned to him in Milan’s system remains in doubt.