Bianchin says Maignan could have 'watched a movie' amid Milan's collective wall

"Corto muso-style football may not be popular, but one quality cannot be denied: it's a collective expression, not an individual one. If everyone doesn't believe in the cause, it won't work, because one mistake is enough to derail the team's plans. The Cagliari game, in this regard, provided good examples. Leao was solid in his only chance to score, exactly what you expect from a corto muso striker. Saelemaekers ran for two and, in critical situations, was always responsive."

"De Winter, starting in place of Gabbia, didn't make a single mistake. Bartesaghi changed roles and no one noticed. Pulisic and Gabbia played for 10 minutes in far from peak physical condition. Not everyone was impeccable (Estupinan, Loftus-Cheek...), but they all contributed a brick to the wall. And Maignan, behind this wall, could have even sat down and watched a movie,"

AC Milan recovered from a shaky start against Cagliari to take control and score through Rafael Leao, then adopted a conservative, risk-averse approach to protect the lead. The makeshift backline defended effectively, limiting the opponent to a single shot on target that Maignan saved comfortably. Massimiliano Allegri’s approach emphasizes collective responsibility and contributions from every player rather than individual brilliance. Individual performances included Leao’s clinical finishing, Saelemaekers’ high work rate, De Winter’s faultless replacement appearance, and several players fighting through less-than-ideal physical condition while still adding defensive value.

Read at SempreMilan