Serie A: But where did Tiémoué Bakayoko go to AC Milan?

For those who were worried, Tiémoué Bakayoko is still an AC Milan player. No, the French midfielder, who has not played a single minute since a defeat against Spezia on January 17, has not disappeared. It thus reappeared this week as part of a marketing campaign between the Rossoneri, Puma, their jersey sponsor, and Koché, a clothing brand. But the one everyone calls “Baka” at Milanello hadn’t really come back to play the models. By agreeing to make his comeback last summer after his departure in 2019, the former AS Monaco player probably hoped to find his level there, he who had made an impression during his first season in Milan. So far, it’s failed.

Loaned for two years by Chelsea, to whom he still belongs, Tiémoué Bakayoko is struggling to (re)find his marks in a club that is no longer really the one he left. The coach has changed (from Gennaro Gattuso to Stefano Pioli), the system (from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1), the squad and the environment too. The ambitions are also different. After years of trouble, Milan has (finally) found the Champions League and remains a credible candidate for the scudetto this season. Not enough to scare the native of Paris who, after a checkered season in Naples, pushed behind the scenes to return to Lombardy and thus find his personalized song there at San Siro: “Bakayoko, Bakayoko, lotta per la curva e per il diavolo (struggle with the turn and for the devil, editor’s note)” on the notes of “Love always” by singer Gigi D’Agostino. But the tifosi didn’t really have time to sing it…

Substituted three times after… 45 minutes

Happy with the return of one of its darlings, the “Curva Sud” was probably quickly disillusioned after its first appearances. reassured no one. After his return from injury in mid-October, the former Monegasque notably stood out with sometimes gross technical errors: missed checks, missed raises and missed passes. Always very demanding, the public of San Siro quickly began to grumble. Stefano Pioli, who only started him five times this season, even came to replace him three times (Sassuolo, Salernitana and Udinese) after just 45 minutes. Not enough to help a player who walks a lot on confidence, evidenced by his career in 2019-2020, started on the bench and finished as an indisputable starter.

Without any benchmarks in a 4-2-3-1 with mechanisms already well put together, lacking in physical condition, Bakayoko was however able to count on the defense of his coach just before the last winter break. “He just needs a little time, confided Stefano Pioli last December. Tiémoué still has to understand and assimilate certain new mechanisms for him. I have no doubts about his qualities. He’s a strong player, I’m sure he’ll be ready for the upcoming deadlines.. ” The Milanese technician knows that there are many of them. Indeed, Franck Kessié and Ismaël Bennacer have an appointment with their selection to compete in the African Cup of Nations, thus leaving the field open to the French international, guest to compose an unprecedented duo with the best Milan midfielder of the season: Sandro Tonali.

Better… then nothing

Author of a good entry into play against AS Roma (3-1) on the recovery, Bakayoko went on to make two starts in stride. A reassuring first against Venice (0-3), then another during the controversial defeat against Spezia (1-2), where he slowed down in the second half, like his whole team. Since ? Nothing. Not a minute in the league, or even in the Italian Cup. Tuesday night, against Inter, he spent the entire semi-final first leg on the bench, the same scene for six matches now. In the meantime, Bennacer and Kessié have returned from CAN. But if the first seems to find his level, the second, at the end of the contract and taken in dislike by part of the tifosi, is only the shadow of the player admired last season. Not enough, however, to change the hierarchy in the middle. “Baka” remains behind Tonali, Bennacer, Kessié, even Krunic, regularly advanced to the position of number 10.

So what’s the problem ? Would there be a clause in this two-year loan which would oblige Milan to exercise its option to buy from a certain number of games played? “It could turn into an obligation under certain conditions“, specified the Lombard club at the time of the formalization of the deal.The whole club expected better, the first reason for his absence is technicalassures us a regular at Milanello. But it is not excluded that something happened internally since he no longer plays at all, perhaps the relationship with Pioli is no longer excellent. Some time ago, the Mister said at a press conference: “I understand that some players are disappointed not to play anymore, that they struggle to greet me…”. But it is above all a technical question. When you go on a two-year loan with a player, it’s because you believe in him.” It remains to be seen for how much longer?