AC Milan: Theo Hernandez, a shameful captain

Summoned by Didier Deschamps for the Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium, Theo Hernandez (27) would be well inspired to take advantage of this mini international break to freshen up his mind. Because in Italy, the start of its 2024/2025 season has all the makings of an ordeal. Last summer, doubts about his future at AC Milan were already causing a lot of talk. Later, there were the first clashes with the new Rossonero coach, Paulo Fonseca.

A captain called into question

Tensions whose culmination was the Portuguese’s choice to sit him on the bench with Rafael Leão for the clash against Lazio last month and their reaction which followed. Entering the match, the two players stood apart from the group during a refreshment break, refusing to listen to their coach’s instructions. In tough times both for club and national team, Hernandez once again made a name for himself during the trip to Fiorentina (2-1 defeat). He was involved in a penalty conceded by his team (which the Viola missed), shot and missed a penalty just before the break, before being sent off at the very end of the match.

Enough to annoy Fonseca, because in addition to seeing his captain get out of control and get sent off (he was suspended for two matches), the Portuguese did not appreciate seeing him take a penalty that he had to leave to someone else Rossonero. “I’m annoyed. Our penalty taker is Pulisic, I don’t know why the players changed their minds. I talked to him and told him this shouldn’t happen again“. So many feats of arms which ended up attracting the wrath of the transalpine media. The criticism is clear: Theo Hernandez does not live up to the status of captain of such a club. This Tuesday evening, the Gazzetta dello Sport also offered its readers a survey to find the new captain of AC Milan, while profusely scratching the Frenchman.

Fabio Capello doesn’t spare him either

“Milan inducted Franco Baresi into its Hall of Fame 15 hours after the expulsion of its captain for protest. If you find a stronger contrast than that, let us know. The captain, moreover, is the same one who, at the end of August, was the protagonist of the freshness break affair (with Rafael Leão), a more unique than rare episode of physical distancing from -visit a coach. Easy conclusion: Milan have a problem with their captains and Theo Hernandez is currently not up to the sacred armband of Rivera, Baresi and Maldini. Football-wise, he’s a great player, but for the moment, he’s not an example for his teammates. The question is: who should be Milan’s captain? » At the time of writing this article, six names were proposed (Hernandez, Maignan, Calabria, Gabbia, Leão and Morata) and the tifosi rossoneri favored two elements: Matteo Gabbia and Mike Maignan, who collected around 33% of the votes.

Hernandez had only 3% of the vote. A result which will not surprise one of the great figures of Italian football, Fabio Capello. In the columns of the Gazzetta dello Sportthe famous coach had fun on Hernandez. “Whoever wears the armband must be a leader, the symbol of the team. We remember Baresi and Maldini, don’t we? Theo Hernandez, for his part, only brought negativity to the group through his attitudes”he declared to the pink paper daily, before returning to the incident which occurred against Fiorentina. “We see the captain of the team. Normally, he is the one who must carry the coach’s instructions onto the field. There, he went to take the ball and decide alone to take the first penalty. It’s not good. (On the expulsion of the Frenchman) Another behavior which is not worthy of Milan ». Over the next few days, it will be between 18 and 20 degrees in the Lombard capital, but Theo Hernandez is already dressed for winter.