Gonçalo Ramos returns to Milan’s season with a familiar contradiction around him. Portugal have just seen the sharper version of their centre-forward: his interception of Ørjan Nyland’s loose pass and composed chipped finish helped settle a win over Erling Haaland’s Norway. Milan, meanwhile, are still waiting for their €70 million summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain to become a regular threat in the penalty area.
The goal was Ramos’s 12th in 29 appearances for Portugal, a return that underlines his instinct when chances arrive. He might have had more against Norway. Another finish following a careless Nyland clearance was ruled out for offside, while he also missed from close range after Rafael Leão struck the crossbar. His next international opportunities will come against Denmark and Norway again, although Cristiano Ronaldo remains competition for the No. 9 role.
At club level, Ramos has scored only once across Serie A and the Europa League, from 535 minutes of football. That goal came against Venezia, and he has not attempted a shot, on or off target, since that league match on 28 August. Against Lecce, Milan’s last outing before the international break, he did not shoot at all, though he created Adrien Rabiot’s goal with an excellent assist.
His work without the ball has not been in question. Ramos runs more than any other Milan player, averaging 11.5 kilometres per match, competes in duels and offers a reliable outlet with his back to goal. Yet only nine per cent of his touches come inside the opposition box. Those are numbers that reflect a forward repeatedly dropping towards midfield to connect the play, rather than one living on the edge of the area.
Milan must bring the game closer to Ramos
The next stage for Milan is less about asking Ramos to work harder and more about putting him in the places where a centre-forward can decide matches. He has shown for Portugal that he can dominate in the air, including the headed winner against Croatia in the World Cup round of 32, when he escaped two defenders to meet a cross delivered by Leão.
Milan have not provided enough of that service. They stand tenth in Serie A for crosses, and none of their wide players has established a consistent supply line into the box. Christian Pulisic and Alexis Saelemaekers have yet to register an assist, while the team’s attacking width has not translated into the sort of deliveries that can use Ramos’s aerial qualities. More balls from the flanks are expected to be a priority.
There is also the question of depth. Milan’s intended control of possession has appeared only in spells, while quick recoveries and immediate forward transitions have been even rarer. Ramos had one clear opportunity to run through against Venezia but fired at the goalkeeper, and similar situations have scarcely followed. For those moves to become a genuine route to goal, he will need to remain higher up the pitch rather than continually retreating to the midfield line.
A change of shape could help. Milan have considered moving from a 3-4-2-1 towards a 4-2-3-1, a structure that could release the wingers, particularly Samuel Chukwueze, from some defensive responsibility and give them greater freedom in the final third. Ramos is also the team’s designated penalty taker, another possible source of goals while Milan work on improving the service around him.
The forthcoming league stretch offers a useful test, with Sassuolo, Atalanta and Udinese next on the calendar — opponents capable of leaving spaces for an attacking side to exploit. Ramos’s place in the Milan side is secure; the question is whether the team can turn his tireless contribution into the chances expected of a leading striker.
There was more reassuring news from the international break concerning Strahinja Pavlovic. The left-sided defender came off in the 71st minute of Serbia’s Nations League match against the Netherlands on Sunday, initially prompting concern over a possible injury. The issue is understood to be simple muscular fatigue rather than anything more serious.
Pavlovic has not missed a minute for either Milan or Serbia so far, making a rest against Germany on Thursday a sensible possibility. Milan will continue to monitor him, but there is no alarm over his availability. At Milanello, the players who were not called up by their national teams resumed training on Tuesday after eight days off, with Pulisic, Mario Gila and Saelemaekers among those back at work.
