Milan did not have a peaceful afternoon at the Little Maracana in Belgrade. The rossoneri They had the Europa League before facing the derby this week and the feelings they came out with were not the most positive as they drew a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the round of 32. One even, in addition, playing against ten.
Among the positive notes of this Milan, Theo Hernández stands out again. The Marseillais, a former Real Madrid player, is a prominent side in the offensive section. Now, Italy is turning out to be a master's degree just in this matter and, coincidentally, not in the most defensive aspect as everything would invite you to think. The Frenchman, in addition to raising, marking and centering, adds new records to his game. A game that he considers has evolved when he left Real Madrid and enjoyed more opportunities as happened to Achraf Hakimi, his rival in the next Lombardy derby and friend. This was confessed on the DAZN microphones. “Both Achraf and I played little in Madrid and the best thing for us was to leave, because if you are there and you don't play you are not happy and you don't have the opportunities you wanted. We did the best we could and now we are here in Milan“, he assured.
On the night of this Thursday, Theo opened his private account in European competitions of the 'senior' category. The full-back had already scored in the Youth League when he was still playing for Atlético de Madrid, but never in an absolute continental competition. It was also a penalty. A way she never had.
The defender, if that wasn't enough, made it for him. This one entered the area, gained the position to his pair and was demolished. Doubtful, it can, but validated by the VAR. Theo, neither short nor lazy and although there was a nine more than confirmed in the elite as Mandzukic on the green, he decided that it would be him who would get to eleven meters for the first time as a professional. Milan Borjan was not able to stop it and Theo put Milan ahead.
Although he never had a bad shot, and he is also fine-tuning it in Lombardy, Theo had only scored one set-piece goal before and is one of the most memorable of his career. The Frenchman scored the 1-1 in the Cup final between Barcelona and Alavés with a powerful shot from the right edge of the area sending the ball with his left foot to the long post of the Blaugrana goal. Another goal that was not worth to sign the victory for the babazorros, his team at that time.
Willing to beat his best numbers
This goal in the Little Maracana was the fifth of the season and the eleventh that it generated for Milan in 29 games,since he has distributed another six assists. Last year at San Siro he stopped the tally with twelve goals generated (seven goals and five assists) achieving his best season at a statistical level. One that is on the way to overcome if nothing changes. These numbers, he already publicly admits, he hopes they will give him a chance at the French team, of which he is tremendously proud. “What I have to do is work every day and wait for the call. I don't feel Spanish, I'm French. It's true that I lived in Spain when I was little, but that doesn't mean anything. I was born in France, my family is in France and I am French, “he added to this chain.
Theo will be one of the most important weapons for Pioli this Sunday in the derby against Inter (3:00 p.m.), where the honor of Milan is at stake and also the Scudetto, after years in which both clubs were on their particular journey through the desert. In the previous one, Theo praised the qualities of the aforementioned Achraf. “Achraf is an incredible player, he has a lot of talent, speed, quality, we more or less look alike. I know him personally and we have spent a lot of time together, he is a good guy and a great friend. What will I say to him in the derby? I will not tell you anything, in the field we are enemies, but outside of it we are good friends, “he explained.