Stones, planned management to raise the level at key moments

The debut of John Stones in the black and blue jersey is scheduled for this evening in Bari, in the last friendly before the start of the championship. In seven days at San Siro, Monza will arrive for the first official matchday, and many are wondering what role the Englishman will have in the upcoming season.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the plan devised together with Christian Chivu is clear: the former Manchester City player will not have to play fifty matches nor be overused between Serie A, Champions League, and domestic cups. His management will be careful, designed to have him at his best in the decisive moments of the season.

The World Cup he played as a protagonist has also dispelled doubts about his physical condition. The muscle problems that had deprived him of continuity in recent seasons, forcing him to a long stop between December and February, now seem to be behind him. The black and blue bet is on quality: defensive reading, ball skills, and composure are characteristics that time has not affected.

Chivu and the coaching staff have built a plan to make the most of the Englishman’s experience without overloading him, raising the team’s level when it will really matter. This evening in Bari he is not expected to start, but it will be an opportunity to see him in action with his new teammates.