Maybe there wasn’t really a need for further proof, but seeing Adrien Rabiot back on the pitch yesterday afternoon, after he had missed the away match in Rome against Lazio, with consequences that were clear to everyone, was truly confirmation that without the Frenchman, Milan is a completely different team. With him on the field, results come; without him, they are much harder to achieve. The numbers say it too. In other words: the Rossoneri have climbed back onto their "Crazy Horse," and from now until the end of the season, they have no intention of being thrown off.
How Milan changes
This morning, La Gazzetta dello Sport, in light of yet another high-level performance from the French midfielder, who also scored his first goal at San Siro in a Milan shirt, set out to analyze the difference in the team with and without Rabiot. The comparison is very straightforward because the negative precedent is still fresh. Supporting the idea that Milan is a different side with the Frenchman are some important figures. With Rabiot, Milan have played 21 matches in total (15 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss), averaging 2.38 points per game. Without him, the Rossoneri have played 9 matches (3 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses), averaging 1.44 points per game. The numbers show a gap of nearly one full point per match, a huge difference.
Leader
Beyond his tactical usefulness, which was already known, but this year, at the peak of his career and physical condition, has reached an even higher level, Adrien Rabiot's key quality is his leadership within the group. Having a player like him in midfield alongside Modrić is a real added value. Yesterday, he was also involved in a joint celebration with Fofana, twice: after his own goal and especially after Youssouf's, when, together, they blended the signature celebrations of Pulisic and Leão, as if to say: we are a united group, a family.
