One of the players who disappointed the most in Tuesday night's match against Feyenoord was undoubtedly Joao Felix. The Portuguese forward was at the center of discussions, especially in the post-match analysis, regarding the decision to keep him on the field for the entire match. The choice—criticized by the majority of pundits and experts—to substitute Gimenez instead of the Portuguese after Theo Hernandez’s red card sparked debate. Milan has rightly come under scrutiny, with no one spared from criticism, especially after a costly and significant winter transfer market that seemed to have addressed key issues.
Despite the arrivals of two crucial players like Kyle Walker and Santiago Gimenez—who were desperately needed by the Rossoneri and filled two glaring gaps in the squad—it remains questionable whether everything possible was done to improve the team's balance and overall completeness under manager Conceicao.
Moreover, was it truly necessary to sign Joao Felix on a dry loan for a hefty €5 million fee?
He is an undisputed talent but often inconsistent and lacking impact.
Joao Felix: A true market opportunity or something else?
Joao Felix was strongly desired by Sergio Conceicao, which should, in theory, settle the debate and suggest a firm "yes" to the above question. Milan, in their pursuit of the Portuguese forward—who at one point only wanted to join the Rossoneri—relied on Jorge Mendes, the agent of both the current Milan manager and the talented attacker. Behind the scenes, as pointed out by Milan Press, the world's most powerful agent managed the negotiations and likely received assurances about Milan's commitment to reviving or at least attempting to revive his client’s career.
This, however, already presents a problem and a misunderstanding. At least for the next six months, regardless of what happens in the summer, with Milan having already announced their intention to try and keep the former Benfica and Chelsea player, Joao Felix will need playing time and will feature as much as possible.
After initially starting on the bench against Roma, where he scored as a substitute, the Portuguese forward has started every game since, being substituted only in the final minutes of two matches. Since his arrival, Joao Felix has already played more minutes than any other Milan attacker—including Leao, Pulisic, and Santiago Gimenez.
He has consistently started, with Leao and Pulisic rotating for rest when necessary, and has rarely been taken off the pitch, even when others were substituted before him.
Despite some underwhelming performances, especially on Tuesday night against Feyenoord, where he appeared the least effective, Conceicao still opted to play him as a central striker, benching Gimenez and sacrificing a crucial attacking presence.
So, is Joao Felix truly a market opportunity, or is he already becoming a disguised obligation?
Joao Felix: Tactical dilemmas and sacrifices to make him a key figure
The other issues are much simpler and more intuitive, particularly on a tactical level. To accommodate Joao Felix and field an attacking quartet, Sergio Conceicao has had to push Tijjani Reijnders into a deeper role.
The Dutch midfielder, when deployed as an attacking midfielder in Milan’s 4-2-3-1 setup—first under Fonseca and now under Conceicao—has been consistently decisive. Goals, assists, moments of brilliance, and a constant offensive contribution have made him, alongside Pulisic, arguably Milan’s best player this season.
However, moving Reijnders a few meters deeper reduces his effectiveness in front of goal, forces him to cover more ground, and ultimately sacrifices his attacking impact by distancing him from the opponent's penalty area.
Additionally, the Joao Felix dilemma has diverted the club’s focus from signing another much-needed midfielder, who would have likely been more beneficial to Milan’s balance and structure. Bondo only arrived after Bennacer’s departure, but another reinforcement in that area was necessary regardless.
Furthermore, Joao Felix’s arrival forced Conceicao to include him in Milan’s Champions League squad, using up the three available registration slots alongside Gimenez and Walker. This decision ruled out the possibility of registering Bondo or Jimenez—players who, from a tactical and structural perspective, would have been much more useful.
These are some of the tactical dilemmas created by Joao Felix’s arrival at Milan. Now, the Portuguese forward must prove that he is not the same player Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea deemed surplus to requirements, but rather the exceptional talent that once prompted Diego Simeone’s club to invest a record €120 million in him at just 20 years old.
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