Pietro Nicolodi of Sky Sport, a major expert on the Bundesliga, spoke to us during our YouTube livestream on “Milan Express,” discussing Goretzka, Pulisic, and the situation surrounding Nkunku.
Speaking live on the Milan Vibes YouTube channel during the Milan Express show, Pietro Nicolodi, Sky Sport journalist and Bundesliga specialist, commented on Leon Goretzka, the Bayern Munich midfielder linked with the Rossoneri.
- Pietro Nicolodi of Sky Sport, a major expert on the Bundesliga, spoke to us during our YouTube livestream on “Milan Express,” discussing Goretzka, Pulisic, and the situation surrounding Nkunku.
- What kind of signing would Goretzka be?
- Goretzka and Bayern – performances in recent seasons
- How do you see him fitting into Allegri’s Milan? Box-to-box or holding midfielder?
- In what situation have we seen the best Goretzka?
- Has Nkunku disappointed you?
- What explains Pulisic’s dip?
- What do you expect from Germany at the next World Cup?
Here are his words:
What kind of signing would Goretzka be?
“Certainly a major signing, also because he arrives at what is still a relatively young age, 31. A quality, complete player who is still having a good season even if he’s not always a regular starter, but he often gets the chance to come on and perform well. It’s true that in this Bayern side it’s almost easy to look good, but it’s not a given to come off the bench cold or start certain matches and consistently perform at the highest level.”
Goretzka and Bayern – performances in recent seasons
“I would tend to erase the Tuchel period for every Bayern Munich player -everyone performed below their potential. He was actually supposed to leave already, but last year they realized he was very important, and in the end, he played more than almost anyone, along with Kimmich of course. I don’t know why the contract-renewal talks broke down. They probably have Pavlovic, a local academy product who’s been playing exceptionally well and is one of the hidden secrets of this extraordinary team. They likely want to renew and get even younger, and among their many young talents they may have someone ready to take Leon’s spot—which doesn’t change the fact that he remains a player of extraordinary quality.”
How do you see him fitting into Allegri’s Milan? Box-to-box or holding midfielder?
“He plays in Bayern’s midfield two, but the Germans play a type of football that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Playing in a double pivot there means constantly being in the attacking half, because their pressing begins extremely high, so you barely see them in deeper areas—they tend to win the ball back in the opposition half. Sometimes, sure, opponents force them to drop back. Goretzka can even play as a central defender; he’s done it in a few Bundesliga matches and handled it well. If he’s fit and injury-free -which wasn’t always the case in past seasons -he is still a top‑class player.”
In what situation have we seen the best Goretzka?
“He has played well everywhere. The obsession with tactical positioning is a very Italian problem. We spend 95 percent of our time wondering where someone could play, but some players can play anywhere -they just know what to do. Goretzka has an elite football mind; he always knows where to be. It’s true he spent half his life with Kimmich next to him, which is both convenient and challenging because he demands a lot. The two are practically brothers -they were born within days of each other and understand each other perfectly. Playing without him will be different, but he can adapt. At Schalke, there was no Kimmich, and he still did whatever he wanted when he wanted.”
Has Nkunku disappointed you?
“Since his injuries, he hasn’t been the same -after countless issues, but the first one, with the French national team just a week before the World Cup, didn’t quite end his career but had a massive impact. At Leipzig, I assure you, he did whatever he wanted. After that, he has always struggled to regain rhythm. It’s a pity because at that moment he was among the ten best players in the world. That injury stayed with him, maybe mentally. Then there are players who thrive in certain environments and less in others. Speaking of Leipzig, Openda comes to mind: what we’ve seen at Juventus suggests a capable player who’s underwhelming lately. Some adapt more, some less -look at Modric, who could play until he’s ninety in any team on Earth.”
What explains Pulisic’s dip?
“Until a certain point in the season he was indispensable; he scored consistently -consistency had never been his strength, not even at Borussia Dortmund. He would play some extraordinary matches and others a bit less. He’s someone you can always rely on because he runs like crazy all over the pitch, which helps. His current form is strange, especially because he had integrated well at Milan. I don’t know what might have happened.”
What do you expect from Germany at the next World Cup?
“Everything and the opposite of everything. The amount of talent is enormous -maybe too much. There’s a terrible tendency to want to walk the ball into the net because everyone is in love with their own technical qualities, and they sometimes forget the Germans’ historic trademark: being clinical. Defensively, they have very good players, but with significant lapses. In goal, it seems Baumann will start -he can look incredible some days and less so on others. In a short tournament, if the first three matches go well, they become dangerous for anyone. But they can just as easily complicate everything, as they’ve already done before, and crash out empty‑handed. This isn’t the Matthäus Germany anymore -back then they were so solid that wasting chances was almost impossible. This squad is a bit more… flighty.”
