
Key strength: Pace and recovery
Overlapping full-back
Sitting third in Serie A with a DWLLW run keeping them firmly in Scudetto contention, AC Milan are leaning on the explosive energy of Ecuadorian left-back Pervis Estupiñán to fuel their title charge. The 28-year-old is stamping his authority on Stefano Pioli's tactical blueprint—19 appearances and 1,158 minutes of relentless service down the flank. With a goal and an assist to his name and a €17 million valuation, Estupiñán embodies the modern full-back archetype: darting overlaps that stretch defenses and carve space for creative outlets like Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku to exploit. Yet there's a hard edge to his game—three cautions and one dismissal reveal a player who tackles with the same intensity he attacks. His growing understanding with Serbian center-back Strahinja Pavlović is quietly maturing into something formidable. As the Rossoneri chase their first league title since 2022, Estupiñán's tireless engine and 65-rated defensive steel could prove decisive on the run-in.