Davide Bartesaghi Scout Report At AC Milan 2025/2026: Milan's Next Breakthrough Talent With Elite Potential – Player Analysis

Davide Bartesaghi has emerged as one of the standout young talents in the 2025/2026 Serie A campaign with AC Milan.

Initially introduced to the senior environment by Paulo Fonseca last season, he spent the majority of his time last season developing with Milan Futuro, gaining valuable minutes and experience.

His pathway into the first team this season accelerated under coach Massimiliano Allegri tactics following the departure of Theo Hernández and the arrival of Pervis Estupiñán, whose inconsistent performances opened the door for opportunity.

Bartesaghi seized that opportunity with maturity and assurance, quickly establishing himself as a reliable starter in the side.

Alongside Marco Palestra, he's now widely regarded as part of the next generation of Italian full-backs, with both players expected to shape the future of the position for club and country.

In this Davide Bartesaghi scout report and player analysis, we analyse Davide Bartesaghi’s style of play, examining his impact for Milan both in and out of possession, alongside a statistical comparison with left wing-backs from other leagues.

Davide Bartesaghi Physical Profile

Bartesaghi turned 20 in December and possesses an imposing physical profile, standing at 191cm/6'3".

He has a mesomorphic build, characterised by long legs and an athletic upper body, attributes that contribute to his effectiveness in both defensive duels and forward movement.

His running style is defined by long, powerful strides that allow him to cover ground efficiently, and this is reflected in his work rate, with an average distance of 9.9km covered per match.

Davide Bartesaghi Style Of Play In Possession

Davide Bartesaghi has a clearly defined role during Milan’s build-up phase.

With Allegri deploying a 3+1 structure in the first phase and granting Strahinja Pavlović the licence to progress the ball from deep, Bartesaghi’s movements are largely geared towards facilitating that progression.

He frequently makes intelligent off-the-ball runs to manipulate the opposition’s defensive shape, often pushing forward to draw a marker and, in doing so, vacate space for Pavlović to carry or pass into, stretching the defensive line vertically, as seen in Figure 1.

In attacking phases for AC Milan, he plays a clear role in maintaining width and stretching the opposition’s defensive structure.

By holding a wide position, he pins the opposition full-back on the near side, preventing them from tucking in and staying compact.

This naturally creates a gap between the opposition centre-back and full-back, which can then be exploited by teammates making runs into the half-spaces, as seen in Figure 2.

In possession, he tends to favour short, secure passes rather than engaging in extensive dribbling, prioritising circulation and positional discipline.

However, when faced with a high or mid-block, he shows the awareness to exploit space in behind with clipped passes over the defensive line.

In the final third, he is an effective crosser, typically targeting central zones or the far post with measured deliveries.

Although Bartesaghi averages relatively few touches inside the box, he contributes by making late runs to the far post, looking to meet crosses delivered from the right flank, as illustrated by his goals against Sassuolo.

Whenever AC Milan breaks down the left, Bartesaghi plays an active role by quickly pushing forward to support the counter.

Instead of holding his position, he joins the attack to create overloads, offering either an overlapping run or a passing option in the half-space.

Davide Bartesaghi Style Of Play Out Of Possession

Davide Bartesaghi demonstrates a reactive approach to positioning, constantly adjusting his location by closely monitoring the movements of players ahead of him.

As illustrated in Figure 3, he tracks Como’s build-up carefully, assessing cues in real time to determine whether to prioritise protecting the half-space or stepping out to engage Ignace Van der Brempt on the right flank.

This reflects a developing tactical awareness, particularly in balancing defensive coverage with pressing responsibility.

In duels, he often relies on his imposing frame and upper body strength to unbalance opponents and regain possession, an approach that aligns with the physical demands and tolerance for contact typically seen in Serie A.

Bartesaghi’s ambidexterity is a valuable asset in 1v1 defending.

When wingers attempt to cut inside onto their stronger foot, often towards his right side, he is not disadvantaged, as he is comfortable engaging with either foot.

This allows him to time challenges more effectively and execute clean tackles with his right as well as his left, making him less predictable and harder to isolate in direct duels, as seen in Figure 4.