Ranking AC Milan's Defenders on Their Ball-Playing Ability
Given the prevalence of high-pressing tactics in modern football, it is becoming increasingly important for defenders to be comfortable in possession. Now, more than ever, a defender's ball-playing skill can play a vital role in their team's performance.
Milan have a great tradition of technically refined defenders. The likes of Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta were all excellent defensive players, though they were also capable of bringing the ball out from the back and picking the right pass.
Today's Rossoneri's defenders aren't as defensively stable as their accomplished predecessors, nor are they as cultured in possession. However, while none of them can compare to Baresi, Maldini or Nesta, some are definitively closer to that illustrious trio than others.
Here we rank Milan's defenders based on their ball-playing ability. Unless stated otherwise, all statistics to back up these rankings have been kindly provided by WhoScored.com.
9: Rodrigo Ely
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Poor Rodrigo Ely has struggled since being thrown in at the deep end of Serie A football this season. In three appearances, he has incurred one sending-off and scored one own goal, clear signs of distress as he tries to adapt to first-team football with Milan.
His passing evidences a lack of composure, something perhaps born of anxiety in adjusting to Italy’s top flight. Indeed, his 73.8 pass success percentage is the worst of all Milan’s central defenders.
8: Philippe Mexes
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Philippe Mexes’ one-year contract extension at the start of this season was a confusing decision for many Milanisti to digest. The 33-year-old Frenchman is past his best and temperamental, a combination that made him a liability last season.
He has yet to feature for the club this season so has not accumulated any statistics to make a quantitative case for or against his ball-playing ability, though he certainly doesn’t lack technique, as his occasional wonder strikes show. However, he is also prone to lapses in concentration when in possession.
7: Ignazio Abate
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Ignazio Abate has missed Milan’s recent fixtures through injury, but his contribution whilst fit is worth scrutinising. Not only is he the only one of Milan’s full-backs not to have completed one cross this season, but he also makes far fewer passes.
His pass success rate is higher than that of Mattia De Sciglio, Luca Antonelli and Davide Calabria, but this is likely more to do with the fact he attempts significantly less. In addition, he has also made no key passes so far this season, a statistic that emphasises his ineffectiveness on the ball.
6: Alex
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Slow and cumbersome, Milan's 33-year-old Brazilian centre-back, Alex, is not a player renowned for his ball-playing ability. He has forged his career through toughness, physicality and solidity, but his passing has never been lauded.
Despite this, he retains good passing stats. Per Squawka, he found a team-mate with 90 per cent of his passes last season. While he no longer starts regularly and will never be found opening up defences, he is an unfussy, efficient distributor of the ball.
5: Cristian Zapata
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Under pressure from Lorenzo Insigne, Cristian Zapata gifted the ball to Marek Hamsik. From there, Napoli scored and Milan went 1-0 down at home to Napoli, a match they would eventually lose 4-0.
This moment, from Milan's last match before the international break, epitomised the Colombian’s core fault: He is not technically proficient. A strong and physically dominant defensive force, Zapata prefers to keep things simple with the ball at feet, opting for long passes more than any other Milan defender.
4: Davide Calabria
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For an 18-year-old who only made his first start for Milan earlier this season, Davide Calabria looks extremely assured in possession. The newcomer has averaged one key pass per game, which is more than any other Rossoneri defender.
His 67.5 per cent pass success is the poorest in Milan’s entire squad, though given his inexperience and the lack of options for full-backs in Sinisa Mihajlovic’s 4-3-1-2 system, this is understandable.
3: Alessio Romagnoli
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Having joined Milan in the summer for a €25 million transfer fee, the pressure was on Alessio Romagnoli to slot right into Sinisa Mihajlovic’s defensive line and strengthen its resolve. Despite a sending-off against Genoa, he has done this while adding an element of class to the back line.
Of the regular starters, no other defender can match the 20-year-old’s 80.5 per cent pass success rate, something that can be attributed to his steady left foot and calm head.
2: Luca Antonelli
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Luca Antonelli may have missed a part of this season’s beginning through injury, but he remains one of the most consistent and effective ball-players in the Rossoneri back line.
The Italian international makes more passes per game than anyone else bar Mattia De Sciglio and also plays in a left-back role with the only viable passing options inside of him. Despite this, he completes 0.7 key passes and crosses per game and has a very respectable 78.3 pass success percentage.
1: Mattia De Sciglio
9 of 9
Although uncomfortable at times in his defensive and positional duties, Mattia De Sciglio is an apt modern full-back in his attacking capabilities. Touted as a youngster, his form has fallen of late, but he remains the best passer in Milan’s defence.
He attempts more passes than any other Milan defender per game and retains a solid 74.3 per cent success rate. Furthermore, only Davide Calabria contributes more key passes than De Sciglio's 0.9 per game.
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