The aggressive one, Fikayo Tomori. The wise one, Matteo Gabbia. The tough one, Strahinja Pavlovic. Since they stopped competing for two spots and started working together in a back three, they have become close, the trio works when they stay together. Milan’s starting defense produced some of the strongest defensive matches, the 0-0 in Turin against Juve, the 1-0 against Bologna, the 2-1 in Naples. When the group split, Allegri felt the risk. Against Roma, with De Winter in for Tomori, things went well, through skill or through episodes. Against Pisa and especially in Parma, things collapsed, four goals conceded in two matches, and the total could have been higher.
Defense numbers
Bring out the calculator. Milan, in the minutes with Tomori, Gabbia and Pavlovic together, conceded 5 goals in 711 minutes across league and Coppa Italia, one every 142 minutes. Only Arsenal, one goal every 306 minutes per StatsPerform, Como, 167, and Roma, 150, are better. In the minutes where Allegri fielded any other trio, the averages dropped, one every 115 minutes. The gap is clear.
Why it works:
The trio works because Tomori, Gabbia and Pavlovic have complementary traits. Tomori and Pavlovic, as center backs in a back four, produced several problematic matches, poor reads, broken marks, errors on the ball. As wide center backs in a back three, they perform much better. They play to their strengths, aggression for Tomori, strength and recoveries for Pavlovic, without paying for every mistake. Watch Pavlovic when he pushes forward on the ball, he knows he can do it because Gabbia covers him and the team protects him. Modric matters too. He is not Makelele, far from that comparison, but he always knows when to raise or lower the tempo. The team stays balanced around him.
Lautaro and Thuram
Inter is the ultimate crash test. Pavlovic arrived in the summer of 2024 and has only positive derby memories, Tomori and Gabbia have a different history. They still remember the waves of goals during Pioli’s spell, when Inzaghi’s Inter scored often and through repeat patterns, transitions, corners, runs from midfield. Inter is the highest obstacle in Serie A right now. They have scored in every match this season, 11 in the league and 4 in the Champions League, the only team in Italy to do so. They have two high-level forwards, Lautaro and Thuram. Two energetic substitutes, Bonny and Pio. A wide player who threatens others and carries his own danger, Dimarco. Three midfielders, Calhanoglu, Barella and possibly Sucic, who bring goals and assists. Maignan will watch everything from behind as usual, and if something goes wrong, trust him to shout. He will shout a lot.
