In his first interview as a Rossonero, Bennacer said that he
would give us two thousand per cent. I don’t care about the math skills, I need
someone with football skills. And as if that weren’t enough to convince Milan
fans, he also promised that he would die on the pitch for the fans and for the
team. That’s all I needed to hear. I already like this guy two thousand per
cent.
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| He will die for Milan. All you need to know. |
Born in France, Ismaël Bennacer also has both Moroccan and
Algerian heritage through his parents. He played for his local football club,
Arles, from seven years old on until Arsenal signed him in 2015. He only ever
made one appearance for Arsenal during the two years he was with the club, and
was, in fact, loaned out to French side Tours for the final six months of his
contract.
In 2017, he transferred to Empoli, where he helped them gain
promotion from Serie B by winning the league that season. He also impressed
this past season, although Empoli were relegated despite his best efforts. It
would have been those performances that caught the eye of Milan’s new
directors, and with Empoli being relegated, it increased his availability for a
transfer.
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| Plenty of Serie A experience last season at Empoli |
While already in negotiations with Milan, it was his
performances at the Africa Cup of Nations that caught everyone else’s
attention. As he led Algeria to the title, he also earned himself the Player of
the Tournament award. He was joint top assist leader along with someone else we
know, Franck Kessie of the Ivory Coast. Both had three assists in the
tournament.
But that is not his only link to Milan. He also played for
his native France in their U18 and U19 teams before making the switch to
Algeria in 2016. And while he played for France, he played alongside Milan’s
new left back, Theo Hernandez. Additionally, he has also played with new Milan
signing, Rade Krunic, while he was at Empoli. So he’s practically family
already.
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| Old friends |
Bennacer is a versatile midfielder, having played as everything
from a deep-lying playmaker to a mezzala and more. He is left-footed, and he is
also fast, clever, and technically strong. His passing and dribbling skills are
something we haven’t seen enough of in our midfield, as are his defensive skills.
At 21 years of age, it’s impossible to know how he’ll do at a club like Milan,
but with the aging players we’ve had in that midfield role for the
past eight to ten years, I’m happy to take the gamble on him.
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| Winner |
I was very concerned about him when he turned up for his
medicals wearing literally the worst outfit I’ve seen in a very long time. That
shows some seriously poor judgment, and is not easy to forgive, let alone
forget. However, after some deep soul searching, I realized that winning
trophies at the international level trumps having a humane sense of fashion.
Well, that and the whole offering to die for us. I’m a sucker for men pledging
their lives to Milan, what can I say? Let’s just hope that the fashion thing
never, ever happens again.
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| So he's really bad at math and fashion. But good at football. |
It’s not like there is any pressure on the young midfielder.
Only the hopes and dreams of Milan fans everywhere (as well has horrors and
nightmares of our recent past.) But he is confident and talented, and coming
off of a great tournament this year that has put his names on the lips of
football fans everywhere. No one wants him to literally die, that’s just
horrible, but the fact that he has offered his life for us on the pitch is
immediately endearing to football fans. Whether he is good enough remains to be
seen, but he has offered to give us all he has, even two thousand per cent.
This post inspired by the music of
Garbage’s “I Would Die for You”
Our next match is
a friendly
FC Feronikeli vs. AC Milan
Saturday, August
10 • 20:45 CEST (2:45pm EDT)
This is Milan’s
first match ever to be played in Kosovo