Is Manuel Locatelli Ready to Replace Riccardo Montolivo in AC Milan's Midfield?
In football, innocuous moments can change careers for better or worse. AC Milan’s Riccardo Montolivo obtained a full understanding of the game’s flighty nature during the recent international break, which he went into as a starter for Italy and exited with a long-term injury.
Playing for the Azzurri in a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Spain in Turin, the midfielder was tackled by Sergio Ramos as he prepared to cross the ball. The Milan captain was unable to continue after the challenge and was replaced by club-mate Giacomo Bonaventura after 30 minutes.
After the match the damage was confirmed, per a statement on Milan’s official website:
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"AC Milan announces that Riccardo Montolivo underwent medical surgery this morning for the reconstruction of his left knee anterior cruciate ligament.
The surgeon Professor Doctor Herbert Schoenhuber is satisfied with the result of the surgery.
The recovery time will be five to six months, unless complications arise.
"
For the 31-year-old, the injury is a serious disruption that will see him sidelined for a prolonged period. This also means that, at least until the transfer window next opens in January, Milan will have to find a replacement to operate at the base of Vincenzo Montella’s three-man midfield.
Fortunately they may not need to wait to find a successful stand-in, as 18-year-old youth-team graduate Manuel Locatelli may already be prepared to step into his more experienced colleague’s shoes.
Montolivo was deployed as Milan’s deep-lying midfielder by Sinisa Mihajlovic last season primarily due to a lack of alternative options. He continued in the same role upon Montella’s arrival, though his form has been far from impressive. Consequently, the player has occasionally been jeered by fans and, prior to his injury, he found his place in the starting lineup under scrutiny.
In Milan’s most recent Serie A fixture, a home game against Sassuolo, Montolivo was taken off on the hour mark to be replaced by Locatelli. The substitution had a certain symbolism to it—the old making way for the new—which was only reinforced by the events that would subsequently unfold.
Locatelli entered the match with the score at 3-1 to Sassuolo. Milan, having taken a 1-0 lead on nine minutes, had imploded alarmingly, conceding two goals in the early stages of the second half to stand on the verge of a disappointing defeat.
However, a Carlos Bacca penalty pulled one goal back before Locatelli left his mark on the game in the most stunning way imaginable.
On 73 minutes, Milan won a corner kick. Bonaventura swung in a cross, only for it to be headed away by a Sassuolo defence that had gone from resolute to panicky. The ball bobbled away from the penalty box, bouncing twice before Locatelli arrived. Connecting perfectly on the half-volley, he unleashed a forceful strike that curled away from Andrea Consigli and into the top left of Sassuolo’s net.
Aesthetically speaking, it was one of the most pleasing goals scored by a Milan player in recent times.
There was the calm as the ball moved seemingly away from danger, followed by the sight of Locatelli hurtling into the picture, and then the sweetest of finishes, the net rippling, and the ball bouncing back out. Then there was the celebration to top all celebrations.
The San Siro erupted with noise as first the equaliser and then the scorer were confirmed. Then this teenager—this homegrown prospect with a whole career ahead of him—wheeled away frantically, uncertain where to go or what to do. Sprinting at full speed he gestured manically to the crowd. Locatelli had scored his first goal in a Milan shirt and the pure, unadulterated joy of the moment overcame him.
Milan went on to win 4-3 courtesy of a Gabriel Paletta header, but it was the young midfielder’s strike that captured the hearts of onlookers.
In an emotional post-match interview, Locatelli struggled to hold back tears as he attempted to explicate exactly how much the goal meant to him.
“I dedicate the goal to my family, my parents, my brother and sister and all those who believed in me,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia). “This is a moment every child waits for and I still can’t believe it. When I heard the shout from the crowd, I couldn’t believe it, I just started running and it was all true.”
Everything about Locatelli’s impact on the game had the hallmarks of a burgeoning star, and while it’s easy to become carried away in such circumstances, there are many who predicted big things for the youngster long before he made his bow for Milan’s first team.
In an interview with the Guardian's Paolo Bandini last year, Milan head of youth-team scouting Mauro Bianchessi stated his belief that Locatelli “can be the next captain of Milan. He’s a bit [Andrea] Pirlo and a bit [Riccardo] Montolivo.”
Pirlo comparisons were the sort of high praise Locatelli could have done without as he began training with the first team last term, his promotion from the Primavera confirmed following Antonio Nocerino’s departure for Orlando City in February.
Despite his late entry to the squad, he made his full competitive debut for Milan before the 2015-16 campaign was out, starting the final home league fixture against AS Roma. However, pitched into his favoured role at the base of midfield against an in-form side full of movement and speed, the prospect failed to get to grips with the contest. After picking up a yellow card, he misplaced several passes as Roma won 3-1.
Since the arrival of Montella as head coach, however, Locatelli’s appearances have borne much clearer resemblance to the heavily hyped young talent many had envisioned previously. All four of his outings this season have been from the substitutes' bench, but he hasn’t looked out of place during his time on the pitch.
While his minutes have been limited, he has compared well to Montolivo statistically. Per Squawka.com, he has averaged more tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes so far, has played only slightly fewer forward balls and has a marginally lower pass-completion rate.
Perhaps most importantly, Locatelli—debut goal aside—now cuts a more composed figure, something validated by his progression from Italy's under-18 squad to the under-21 side last Saturday. This only furthers his argument to replace Montolivo in the coming months.
His agent, Stefano Castelnovo, certainly believes the player is ready. “Manuel is 18 years old but with the head of a 25-year-old,” he told Calciomercato (h/t Italian Football Daily). [He] is young, but he comes with talent, and he is a mature player.”
Milan’s need for a quality regista capable of piercing opposition lines with intricate passes, switching play with accurate diagonal balls, offering a pass out to the defenders and supporting possession through good positioning is a longstanding one. Since Pirlo’s exit in 2011, the role has not been successfully filled.
Montolivo has performed adequately at times, indecisively at others, though it must be remembered that, originally, he was brought in as more of a central midfielder. The deep-lying role is arguably not his best, and the same could be said about most of his potential replacements.
Juraj Kucka and Andrea Poli are more energetic box-to-box types, while Jose Sosa and Bonaventura, albeit technically gifted, have spent much of their careers playing behind strikers rather than in front of defenders. Andrea Bertolacci showed promise during his brief trial in the regista role in pre-season, but he is out with a hamstring injury.
In Montolivo’s absence, with no other genuine alternative, the door to Milan’s starting lineup has swung open for Locatelli. And with the emotion and tears of his first goal out of the way, he appears ready to take the opportunity.
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