GdS: Experience and 24 trophies – why Walker and Loftus-Cheek are added resources | OneFootball

AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao will be able to count upon two winners in the Coppa Italia final in Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kyle Walker.

As today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes, trophies don’t go on the pitch but adding the weight of 24 titles doesn’t hurt. With the recoveries of Walker and Loftus-Cheek, Milan have two men who have lifted two dozen cups (18 for the full-back, six for the midfielder).

In view of the final in Rome on May 14 against Bologna, Conceiçao will be more than happy to have them both fit, enlisted and ready to use already in these weeks leading up to the match. Walker and Loftus-Cheek got 20 minutes against Venezia, and the same should happen in Genoa on Monday.

Walker’s role

The former Manchester City man was injured after the draw against Fiorentina, just before Conceiçao began using the new formation and three-man defence. The solidity found with Fikayo Tomori as right centre-back and Alex Jimenez as right wing-back means he wasn’t immediately put back in.

Walker, due to his experience, international profile and adaptability to multiple roles (both as a third centre-back defence and as a full-back) is an important additional resource, and it is not a given that he will not regain his starting place between now and May 14.

For a player who has taken to the field in Champions League finals, European Championship finals and multiple cup finals, there is no better preparation for the showpiece event in Rome. Walker, as a reminder, had not joined by the time of the Supercoppa Italiana triumph.

Loftus-Cheek returns

That Supercoppa Italiana derby win saw Loftus-Cheek get 13 minutes. From then on, his 2025 turned into an ordeal. Having been in the pits due to injury until March 13, when he returned for a brief game against Como in the league.

Then he was knocked out again due to appendicitis, a few hours before the match against Napoli. He made his return in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter, then more minutes in his legs, as mentioned, in Venice.

Unlike Walker, Loftus-Cheek is not a real finals man (he has never played one as a starter in his career), but for months Conceiçao had been calling for his return as an important tactical weapon to add to his ideas. The six trophies won with Chelsea are a nice wealth of experience to add.