Boateng key to Rossonero Catalan success

Kevin-Prince Boateng’s Milan face the crippling task of lining-up against Barcelona in the quarter-final of the Champions League round on Wednesday evening.

As if facing the Catalan’s alone wasn’t bad enough, Milan will have to do it without one of their world’s best defenders Thiago Silva, goal scorer of the first match between the two Alexandre Pato, right-back Ignazio Abate and Mark van Bommel.

Blighted by a plethora of injuries to have hit the Rossoneri, the Via Turati outfit will be welcoming back one player who could very well prove to be the key which unlocks the dressing room of a successful team. His middle name may be ‘Prince’ but he has since marked himself as the King of Milan and Kevin-Prince Boateng will be hoping to spread geography into Europe.

With six matches played at the San Siro between the Spanish and Italian giants, Boateng will be out to make it honours even with a win to equal the same amount of wins for Milan, as there have been for Barcelona at the famous ground.

Two Rossoneri wins, a draw and three victories to the visitors, the contest between the pair has been tight throughout the years and it should prove to be the same despite the list of missing names.

The Italian game has always pride itself on its defensive prowess but with the defensive duo out, Massimiliano Allegri will have to resort to a centre-back pairing of the timeless, yet fragile, Alessandro Nesta and the volatile Philippe Mexes.

Just like the rule of Kung Fu: ‘the hand which strikes also blocks’ and Boateng and co. will be looking to their offensive abilities to lead the fray. One player who is aware of the number of danger men in the Milan set-up is Barcelona shot-stopper Victor Valdez.

“Milan are full of dangerous player, we will have to be aware. It will be difficult to pass this round, but it will be fundamental that we play our game,” noted the Spaniard.

Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are expected to lead the attacking force. But it is the Ghanaian workhorse who is expected to act as a catalyst with his visionary creative play and world class goals all while sitting tucked behind the Swede and the Brazilian.

Famous for his interpretations of Michael Jackson, the moon-walking slick-footed midfielder has netted four domestic goals and one less in the current Champions league complain, but it his presence in the squad which undeniably changes the dynamics of the game.

His pace, precision, and above all, the confidence in which the 27-year-old instills in his team is unaccountable for. Boateng possess the ability to change the face of the game at any given moment, most notably his half time introduction against Lecce, where he netted a hat-trick in ten minutes to bring his team 3-3 before an eventual 4-3 win.

His opening goal in the 15th minute against the 4-0 destruction of Arsenal, and his world class second-half strike against Barcelona- to bring the teams level despite being eventual losers- has left Boateng the centre of every play which Milan creates.

While teams may fatigue towards the end of the match the opposite happens for Boateng. With all but one goal (against Arsenal) being struck in the second half, the tireless persona of his has been compared to that of an animal.

 “He has a winning character, and he is like an animal on a physical level. He is a powerful midfielder who knows how to shoot with both feet,” noted Barcelona’s youth product Bojan Krkic.

Like a pawn on a chessboard Boateng is essential to linking up the Diavoli’s attack and it will be no different when he takes to the field of the historical 80 000 seater Guiseppe Meazza stadium this evening.

Will the fans be seeing their Ghanaian King do the celebratory moon walk after 90 minutes? Time will tell.

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