One of the biggest uncertainties surrounding Milan this season, present under both Fonseca and Conceição, has been the choice of the starting center-back duo. Both coaches have made frequent changes, rotating players without ever providing stability, also due to the glaring mistakes that have occurred in almost every match.
The season started with Tomori as an undisputed starter, while Gabbia and Pavlovic competed for the spot alongside the Englishman. Then, Thiaw re-emerged after missing the start of the season due to injury. Apart from a few lapses, the German has probably been the most consistent, also playing a key role in the team's buildup play. Among the squad, it is clear that he is the center-back with the best ball-playing abilities.
With Conceição’s arrival, it seemed that Tomori—one of the most aggressive defenders alongside Pavlovic—would regain his starting role, and for a brief period, he did. However, the Englishman has now spent eight consecutive matches on the bench, with Gabbia and Thiaw becoming the former Porto coach’s preferred pairing. Pavlovic has played more of a wildcard role—there’s still a lot to refine in his game, but his fighting spirit is unmatched by his teammates.
Now, with the season almost over, as shown by the statistics below, Milan still lacks a fixed starting center-back duo.
However, the Gabbia-Thiaw partnership has stood out as the most reliable. Among the many areas that need improvement for next season, this is one of them: a stable and consistent center-back pairing must be chosen and confirmed.
Source: Milannews.it
