Milan, De Ketelaere does not shine, Giroud is the guarantee of Pioli

The key concept is tour de force. Olivier Giroud returned to Milanello with the eyes of the tiger, ready to play seven games in January at the age of 36. The Frenchman played a great World Cup, scored four goals, became France’s top scorer ahead of Titì Henry, but he doesn’t intend to pull the oars in the boat.

2022 D’ORO

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Olly is one of those players who thrives on the open sea, under full sail, and if there’s a pinch of storm it’s even better. With Ibra out until February, Origi in the pits, Rebic injured and De Ketelaere far from convincing, Giroud is preparing to play them all, starting from 4 January against Salernitana. Serie A will reopen its doors after almost two months. The Frenchman wants to start over where he finished: scoring. So far, including the national team, he has scored 14 goals in 27 games (plus six assists). He averages one flicker every 127 minutes. The last four goals he scored all at the World Cup. Now in the viewfinder are grenades. Giroud hopes that 2023 will reserve him the same fate as the year that has just ended, one of the best in his life. The striker won the Scudetto, played in the second world final of his career and played more than 3,500 minutes between Milan and the national team, scoring 26 goals in all competitions. High level numbers.

ALTERNATIVE

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Management? There’s no time. Giroud is 36 years old, but Pioli can’t afford to let him rest. As already highlighted, at the moment the Frenchman is the only striker in his role available and at 100%, without ailments or injuries. There would also be Marko Lazetic, the eighteen-year-old striker who arrived last year from Red Star, but boasts only 8′ in Serie A against Cremonese. In between he scored five goals for Primavera, three in the league and two in the Youth League. Milan are aiming for it, Pioli studied him in the summer and in retreat in Dubai, but the Serbian can be at most an alternative in the current match.

And CDK?

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The Belgian hasn’t shone yet. So far he has played from false nine on a couple of occasions, but without impact. He who scored 18 goals and 10 assists playing up front last year in Bruges. At the moment Pioli is oriented to deploy him again on the frontline, his natural role. Meanwhile, there is always Olly out front. The usual guarantee.