The 'Corriere dello Sport' today highlighted the fact that Theo Hernández, played as a central defender in the last league match against Frosinone at 'San Siro' due to several injuries that had affected the Rossoneri's defense.
Theo delivered a top-notch performance and convinced the entire Rossoneri fans and coaching staff, as explained by the newspaper. Playing in that role might not be a one-time occurrence limited to the match against Frosinone for him.
In case Simon Kjær doesn't recover in time for Atalanta-Milan, Theo Hernández could again be fielded in that position.
Moreover, against Frosinone, he was among the best players on the field for the Rossoneri, and at the 'Gewiss Stadium' against Gian Piero Gasperini's team, it might present a more challenging test for the Rossoneri's number 19 to ascertain if that role truly suits him or not. But how did the idea of Theo Hernández as a central defender come about? The 'CorSport' explained its origins and revealed the behind-the-scenes.
The initial idea came from the player himself to coach Stefano Pioli on the eve of Milan-Frosinone. Initially, the coach had designated Jan-Carlo Simic to start alongside Fikayo Tomori, but Theo asked Pioli to trust him as the left-sided central defender in the back four. He received the approval from the coach, who holds great esteem and trust in him, considering him one of the team's leaders, as relayed via Pianeta Milan.
Stefano Pioli, after the match against Frosinone, said the following words:
"Theo as a centre-back? The idea came from him; he spoke with me and said he could play in that role. He did really well defensively and also in initiating plays. He had a great game, showing a strong willingness to help the team in a critical moment."
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