There were plenty of positives for AC Milan in our 2-1 win over Salernitana on Wednesday, one of which was the return to the side of Davide Calabria.
Given the captain’s armband on his comeback, the 26-year-old put in a solid performance before being replaced after 72 minutes, and it was a huge boost for all concerned to see him back on the pitch.
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Calabria’s last Serie A appearance came on October 1, and although we fared relatively well without him in the side, there is little doubt that as a defensive unit, there is a sense of increased solidity when he’s available at right-back.
Milan conceded six goals in seven league outings without him, keeping just two clean sheets. While we weren’t able to shut Salernitana out this week, Calabria’s impact and influence will become increasingly important as he continues to return to full match fitness.
Calabria stats vs Salernitana, influence going forward
Calabria registered two tackles, two interceptions, one clearance and won two of four duels, while he had 65 touches of the ball along with 79% passing completion.
His defensive qualities are crucial on that side of the pitch, as in addition to his own battles, his ability to tuck in and defend resolutely also then adds balance to the side and allows Theo Hernandez to push forward on the opposite flank and add a threat for us.
Further, he can push up himself and add width to our play, and he continues to be tidy in possession to keep us ticking over and moving into the opposition half.
It also has an important knock-on effect for Pierre Kalulu, who can shift back inside into a more comfortable role at centre-half, and so while we await the return of Mike Maignan, our backline is starting to look more balanced and solidified with our captain restored to the starting line-up.
It was pivotal that we started the New Year with a positive result. It’s hoped that others now follow Calabria’s lead and return from their own injury setbacks in the coming weeks and months, in order to give Stefano Pioli as strong a squad as possible to select from, and be as competitive as possible across multiple fronts.
