AC Milan's Alessio Romagnoli Can Be Giorgio Chiellini's Long-Term Replacement

The history of Italian football is, among other things, a history of exceptional defenders. From the days of counter-attacking Catenaccio in the 1960s through to the more tactically flexible modern day, many of the world’s finest tacklers, organisers and back-line commanders have originated from the peninsula.

And, in 21-year-old Alessio Romagnoli, AC Milan may well be in possession of the next great Italian centre-back to carry on a long and storied tradition.

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The youngster has developed into a highly regarded member of the team during his 14 months with the club. His arrival from AS Roma last summer could, with the benefit of hindsight, be construed as one of the most important transfer deals Milan have made in recent times.

His progress from exciting prospect to integral first-teamer has been quick. And, having been called into the Italy national team, his influence could be set to extend beyond club level and into the international arena in the near future.

In the summer, the Azzurri captured the hearts of many neutral fans as they defeated Belgium and eliminated Spain to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Championship. Performing above expectations, their defensive line was the bedrock of their success.

A back three featuring Juventus’ Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini provided a stable base from which Italy could build, but with two individuals within that trio over the age of 30, the time is coming for head coach Giampiero Ventura to identify potential long-term replacements.

Chiellini will be 33 years of age by the time the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia comes around. And, if Ventura is looking for someone to step into the Bianconeri warrior’s shoes, Romagnoli would appear to be the most viable strategic option.

Chiellini began his career as a midfielder before moving to the wing and, eventually, to left-back. It was in this position that he made his name with Livorno and then Fiorentina before joining Juventus.

Indeed, it was only while the club were in Serie B following the calciopoli scandal that he established himself as a centre-back and a regular in the starting lineup.

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In this respect there are similarities with Romagnoli, who also spent time at left-back during the formative stages of his time in the Roma first team. However, he has always been viewed primarily as a central defender, a position he established himself while on loan at Sampdoria before joining Milan.

While the two players had comparable experiences in their development as professional players in terms of position, their temperaments could not be more different.

Chiellini has always been viewed as a rugged defender, someone capable of roughing up attackers and leaving a sly psychological imprint on his opponent through niggly fouls, wholehearted challenges and a harsh stare. But his hard on-pitch persona belies his softer off-field demeanour. Away from football he is, as the Guardian’s Paolo Bandini describes, a "softly spoken master’s student."

By contrast, Romagnoli is more of a provocateur off the pitch than on it. He stoked controversy when a photo of him wearing a Lazio shirt surfaced online at around the time of his leaving Roma. As a footballer, though, he plays with an elegant sheen and occasional naivety that juxtaposes Chiellini’s ruthless edge.

Their contrasting personalities are embedded in their styles of play, though they do not take up the same roles at club level.

Chiellini’s aggressive play is incorporated into a position on the left of Juventus’ back three that often sees him drive purposefully forward with the ball at feet. His intention on these runs is to undermine the opposition’s own defensive setup; by attracting pressure to himself, he frees up space for more creative team-mates in advanced areas.

Romagnoli is rarely given such freedom to push on, playing as he does at the heart of a back four alongside Gabriel Paletta. But his thoughtful passing is vitally important to Milan’s ability to build effective possession from the back, something that is more prevalent now under Vincenzo Montella’s auspices.

Thus, the pair operate differently due to their playing within divergent tactical setups. However, as left-footers and defenders with comfort on the ball and an ability to break opposition lines, they do have some shared traits.

Indeed, Bleacher Report’s Juventus correspondent Adam Digby envisions a future where Romagnoli is the player to take on Chiellini’s mantle at international level, saying: "Of all the players currently in Serie A, I think Romagnoli is the most similar to Chiellini and can certainly replace him in the Italy side in the coming years. The young Milan defender has much to learn but seems to be constantly improving."

Romagnoli’s improvement has seen him tally respectable statistics so far this season. Per Squawka, his 1.5 tackles and 2.17 aerial duels won per game are better than the numbers recorded by Chiellini, though it is perhaps worth noting that this may be aided by playing for a Milan side who are less dominant than champions Juventus.

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The uncompromising Bianconeri centre-back has, however, achieved higher performance statistics in other key areas.

According to Squawka, not only has Chiellini averaged more interceptions than Romagnoli, but he has made fewer defensive errors. And, in possession, while the youngster has won relatively more of his take-ons, the Juve star has contributed more passes with a higher completion rate and created more chances.

Evidently, the burgeoning Milan star still has a lot to learn from his older Italy team-mate. And Digby believes the Juventus tough guy is getting back to top form: "After a tough year last year when he actually showed signs of ageing, Chiellini has begun this season much more brightly. He is back at his rampaging best, winning tackles, bursting forward into midfield and generally bullying opposition strikers as he always has done."

Romagnoli was handed an opportunity to prove himself an able deputy to the suspended Chiellini on Thursday night as Italy took on Spain in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier.

And, despite the difficulties involved in facing a technically sublime, intricate Spanish forward line, the Milan man handled himself well to help the Azzurri to a 1-1 draw in Turin.

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Stepping into a left-sided role in a back three alongside Bonucci and Barzagli, he showed no issue with playing in a different system to that which he is used to at club level. This was all the more impressive considering it was also his debut for Italy’s senior side.

Defensively, Romagnoli’s positioning and decision-making were sound. He adapted to the man-marking duties expected of him by Ventura, keeping tabs on Vitolo while also winning more tackles than any of his Italy team-mates. And with the ball at feet, he always looked to play out from the back, rarely giving away possession.

After the match he confirmed to Rai Sport (h/t Football Italia) that he felt as comfortable as he looked, saying: "I was OK with three at the back because as long as I stay concentrated and work hard, I can do it. I felt a little tense at the start, but I am not someone who tends to get nervous."

Any uncertainty over Italy’s ability to continue producing quality defenders can be partly quashed by the fact that, in the absence of one of their finest centre-backs, they had cover. Romagnoli has shown himself to be a good alternate to Chiellini, and he will prove a solid successor in the future.

All statistics provided by WhoScored.com unless otherwise stated. Quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.