Zlatan Ibrahimovic had described him as “an animal” in August 2024, the day he was presented, and judging by his physique, more like a WWE wrestler than an elegant defender, he had not been wrong. Wearing number 31, the same shirt worn by his idol Jaap Stam, and bearing the name Strahinja, which evokes strength and courage, his portrait is complete. Pavlovic may not have the aristocratic demeanour of Modric, but when it comes to confrontation, he never backs down. Fear does not seem to be part of his vocabulary. After the defeat to Ferencvaros, coach Amorim, in the middle of his outburst, found time to praise him: “Everyone should train like Pavlovic. He is ready to die in training. He is a good example.” An unusual compliment, but knowing the character, its deeper meaning is easily understood.
If there is one word to describe his weight at this Milan, it is “indispensable”. In the league, Pavlovic is one of the most used players: 900 minutes in ten matches, practically a permanent fixture on the pitch, although he will miss the Genoa match. Amorim has not been able to do without him even in the Europa League, where the Serbian started the first three matches, missing only the last one due to a minor physical problem, possibly a consequence of the many battles. When Ruben says Pavlovic is “ready to die”, he is not exaggerating. The numbers confirm it: in Serie A, he is first for duels won (18) and eighth for aerial duels (27). At 1.94 metres tall, this advantage is fully exploited. Amorim likes him because he is a fighter, one who never gives up and, a not insignificant detail, knows how to play football too. The Serbian defender is first for successful passes in the league (674), ahead of Bastoni (646) and Ramon (644). Pulisic’s goal against Lecce, with that ball launched from the defence and arriving with GPS precision at the American’s feet, was his work. Pavlovic has in his repertoire this kind of long pass, almost like a “quarterback”, showing that he is not limited to defending.
Pavlovic comes off his best season in his career in terms of goal scoring. With his five Serie A goals last year, he became the most productive central defender for the Rossoneri since 2000. He is still on zero goals this season, but this is not necessarily a problem, as the tasks and the way Milan attack have changed. With Allegri, he was used to breaking away and appearing in the attacking zone. Today, this job is entrusted to players with different characteristics and a greater tendency to run. For Amorim, the Serbian defender is above all a guarantee in the build-up phase, a weapon for opening up the pitch with 40-metre passes and a wall in one-on-one duels. This Milan has no problem leaving three centre-backs in one-on-one duels, as was clearly seen in the derby. So the question arises: Is Pavlovic the true leader of this Milan? Together with Maignan (captain) and Rabiot, the Serbian is certainly part of the leadership group. Billy Costacurta, for Gazzetta, said: “An example of application? Pavlovic. Always attentive and with the attitude that everyone should have.” Amorim has praised him in words that sound almost like a declaration of love: Pavlovic embodies, more than anyone, the club’s mentality, that of always wanting to win, even in the simplest matches on paper, precisely the ones Milan manage to complicate themselves, as happened in Europe. In Genoa, the Portuguese coach will do everything to recover, since the “Ferraris” is a stadium where eleven players must be ready for battle. Or, as Ibra would say, eleven animals.
Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport