Each season, some players are spotlighted and described as “key” for their teams, and there are players who are crucial, but no one really talks about.
AC Milan’s best performers have been widely discussed, especially after their Scudetto-winning 2021/22 season.
However, there are players that have been pivotal in their success but not as widely acknowledged.
One of them is Ismaël Bennacer.
The Rossoneri midfielder played a pivotal role in AC Milan’s tactics and has helped them maintain consistency to be able to get back to the Serie A leading positions despite the limited playing minutes he got last season.
While there were concerns over the team’s midfield performance after Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s and Franck Kessié’s departures, they have managed to keep the high level of discipline thanks to Bennacer.
The Algerian’s passing abilities and movement help for a cohesive performance in possession and create a balance between the lines which is key for AC Milan attacking success.
His impact out of possession shouldn’t be underestimated as well as he supports the team’s pressing efforts successfully and frequently prevents Milan from conceding dangerous attacks.
In this Ismaël Bennacer scout report, we use tactical analysis to examine his importance to Stefano Pioli’s tactics and explain what makes the Algerian one of the most underestimated yet important players for the Rossoneri.
Ismaël Bennacer Role At AC Milan
Ismaël Bennacer Heat Map
AC Milan achieved a balanced-out performance under Stefano Pioli over the last few years.
The team stick to their 4-2-3-1 formation and rely on high intensity in attack.
They aim to have more of the ball and frequently threaten the goal through a lot of movement and individual skill from players like Theo Hernández and Rafael Leão who have been praised for their attacking contributions.
However, for Milan to succeed with their actions in possession, they have relied on Bennacer, who fulfils the role of a regista for the Rosssoneri.
Being deployed in a defensive midfield position allows the team to use his passing to progress the ball efficiently and his smart movement to add more bodies in the advanced areas and create havoc.
The Algerian’s ability to distribute the ball to quality areas and support his teammates’ movement is extremely valuable for the team.
That’s why he’s heavily involved in AC Milan’s build-up play from the back as well as combining with defenders in order to bypass pressure and advance with the ball.
While Bennacer is very active in possession, his deep-lying position requires high awareness and concentration defensively.
He is responsible for providing support to the defensive line and helping with ball interceptions, covering the depth and pressing the opposition.
Ismaël Bennacer’s ball recovery ability is one of his strongest assets and also a key for AC Milan’s defensive performances as he often moves to the opposition’s half where aiming to recover possession.
Bennacer’s role at AC Milan suggests that he has to be confident in direct challenges and have a good understanding of the game to be able to anticipate the opposition’s movement.
Ismaël Bennacer Playmaking Skills
The Algerian’s contribution to Milan’s actions in possession is defined by his passing abilities.
Using his deep position to support AC Milan’s build-up play from the back and help with ball progression has allowed his teammates more freedom to move forward.
He would usually stay close to the backline so he could receive the ball and then try to progress it.
While his position requires him to stay mainly in the deeper areas, Bennacer often moves out of Milan’s half to help with ball progression and bypassing the press.
That’s where he combines his strong positioning with meticulous passing which he uses to either spread the ball out wide or to break the opposition lines centrally.
Bennacer’s passing map from the 2022/23 season shows the frequency of his passes, as well as the areas he distributes them to.
His deliveries are key not only for retaining possession and ball progression but also for creating attacking opportunities.
The map shows that the Algerian rarely sends the ball back, always aims to provide forward passes and to the ball out of the defence.
Ismaël Bennacer Pass Map
As it also suggests, the former Empoli defensive midfielder often goes for long balls trying to dismiss the opposition’s press and deliver the ball behind the defence.
Ismaël Bennacer often initiates switches of play, which helps Milan in breaking through different defensive structures.
Bennacer averages two through balls per 90 which support his attacking teammates’ movement.
His partnership with Sandro Tonali as a double pivot grew on Pioli and the Italian coach started relying on them both more frequently.
The Algerian is responsible for orchestrating play through his 89.8% pass completion rate and composure while providing Tonali with more time and space to cover ground and support his team whenever needed.
Ismaël also supports the AC Milan’s counter-attacking actions.
Ismaël Bennacer Defensive Impact
Bennacer’s off the ball impact is impressive as well.
While he does focus on forward playing and creating opportunities for AC Milan in possession, his discipline and concentration while defending make him an even more valuable addition to the Rossoneri.
The 24-year-old’s tactical intelligence and anticipation skills allow him to use his positioning to successfully block opposition attacks, while his timely interventions make him stand out in 1vs1 situations.
Ismaël Bennacer positioning is key for covering depth as the defenders often have ball-playing functions and move out of their positions.
The former Empoli midfielder can successfully identify attacking movements and action upon it either through pressing or diving into direct challenges.
Bennacer is particularly efficient in his pressing efforts and averages 11.47 ball recoveries per 90, supporting the team out of possession and often stopping dangerous attacks early on.
Impressively, despite his considerably deep position, 57.6% of his recoveries are done in the opposition half.
This allows Milan to employ their high press strategy and helps them in gaining back possession in the advanced areas where they can quickly make a turnover and create a goalscoring opportunity.
The Algerian’s actions directly impact the team’s time on the ball and increase their possession rate.
Ismaël Bennacer High Regains Map
As the map above suggests, Bennacer frequently regains possession in the advanced area, especially through his counter-pressing actions.
This is extremely valuable for the Rossoneri and often helps them to keep the momentum and stay in attacking positions.
He has also contributed to five shots through his recoveries as it resulted in threatening the goal within 20 seconds afterwards.
The 24-year-old defensive midfielder is involved in 8.6 defensive duels on average with a 60.9% success rate, making him a reliable player during defensive transitions.
Ismaël Bennacer’s high awareness and anticipation skills also enables him to gain possession after loose-ball duel situations.
Ismaël Bennacer’s high anticipation and awareness skills also enable him to win possession in loose-ball duel situations.
Conclusion
As our tactical analysis shows, Ismaël Bennacer is a complex player who can impact the game both in and out of possession and bring the team the needed confidence during transitions.
The Algerian is expected to be a crucial figure in AC Milan’s title-defending season and in their UEFA Champions League adventure as well.
