In fact, this was not the first confrontation between Boateng and Eto'o in this match. In the 59th minute, Eto'o broke through Thiago Silva on the sideline, but it was Boateng who rushed back from the front field and successfully intercepted the ball from Eto'o. In the 28th minute, Eto'o's brilliant pass to Sneijder was deflected by Boateng, who had retreated to the edge of the penalty area to help with the defense. It wasn't just Eto'o; in the 75th minute, Flamini's offside goal came from an opportunity created by Boateng's interception of Stankovic in the front field. As Trapattoni said, in modern football, attacking midfielders who can participate in defense are terrifying.
Before the Milan derby, Trapattoni predicted that AC Milan had a 51% chance of winning. Regarding former Inter star Corsso's statement that "AC Milan does not have as many decisive stars as Inter," Trapattoni remarked: "Boateng can be Allegri's trump card for this game. He is a destructive player who knows how to exploit gaps, helps with defense, and has great vision."
From a cost-effectiveness perspective, AC Milan should now consider whether 24 million euros for Ibrahimovic, 18 million euros for Robinho, or 6 million euros for Boateng is more worthwhile. At least in terms of age, the 23-year-old Boateng is the youngest and most promising among the recent signings. Currently, Boateng's valuation is approximately 16 million euros, and his potential for appreciation is optimistic. Fortunately, Genoa's chairman Preziosi recently confirmed: "Boateng will be bought outright by AC Milan next season because we have already agreed on the co-ownership price, so there is no need for negotiation." If Galliani hadn't decisively purchased half of Boateng's ownership after he trained with the team for half a month and set the price for the other half, AC Milan would likely have spent much more money this summer.
Indeed, as Bergomi said, with Boateng's return and recovery, AC Milan, despite missing Ibrahimovic in this game, saw their midfield operate quickly and smoothly. In the second minute, Pato nearly created a one-on-one opportunity due to Boateng's through pass. In the 23rd minute, Boateng's pass after breaking through created another chance for Pato to shoot powerfully from outside the box. In the 67th minute, Boateng's through pass to the unmarked Flamini at the penalty spot resulted in Flamini failing to control the ball, losing a one-on-one opportunity against Julio Cesar. Even Boateng himself had a chance to score. In the 66th minute, his run-up and combination with Seedorf was perfectly timed, but unfortunately, his shot from a tight angle was instinctively blocked by Cesar's foot. The decisive one-on-one opportunity that led to Pato causing Chivu's red card was entirely orchestrated by Boateng. He chased back from near the center circle to intercept Eto'o and initiated the counterattack. After several passes with his teammates, he sent a precise through pass to Pato, creating the one-on-one opportunity that forced Chivu to sacrifice a red card to prevent Pato from entering the box.
If Trapattoni's words were only rational, then statistics provide evidence. According to Opta's pre-game statistics, in the 19 matches where Boateng participated, AC Milan's win rate reached 68%, the highest "win rate" in the entire team. In the games he missed, the team's win rate was only 45%, and when Ibrahimovic was present, AC Milan's win rate was merely 59%. On this, former Inter legend Bergomi had already noticed, "AC Milan with Boateng and without Boateng is different," Bergomi said.
Boateng also became the only fresh blood in AC Milan's midfield in the last eight years. In the seven years since Seedorf joined, neither French Ligue 1 Player of the Year Dhorasoo nor French international Gourcuff could secure a starting position. Even Flamini, who once made waves in the Premier League, currently holds a lower position than Boateng in AC Milan. Emmanuelson from Ajax also did not demonstrate the same strong adaptability as Boateng. Looking ahead, even if AC Milan signs Brazilian Ganso next season, Boateng's role can still shift backward to left or right midfield, which are positions AC Milan needs to update. In AC Milan's future plans, Boateng clearly has a place.