Emerson Royal has been subject to criticism since before even arriving at AC Milan from Tottenham Hotspur.
The Serie A side chased the right-back for most of the last window before agreeing a deal with Tottenham in August. The Rossoneri paid €15m excluding bonuses to Spurs.
He’s made five appearances for the Italian club. MilanNews.it were critical of the 25-year-old’s performance in the 2-2 draw against Lazio. They said he was one of the worst players on the pitch.
Journalist Gianni Visnadi suggested Tottenham would have been thrilled to have collected €15m from the defender’s sale to Milan.
MilanLive.it now claims some of the criticism wasn’t justified. The Brazil international has responded in the ‘best possible way’ by impressing in the derby win over Inter Milan.
He played the full 90 minutes as Milan sealed a 2-1 win over their local rivals. Emerson was doubted by some after the first half, but he did well after the break. The website says he created chances, yet his teammates on the receiving end weren’t able to convert.
Emerson won 100% of his aerial duels, blocked 100% of shots and three out of his four tackles were successful. In this way, the player has responded to ‘prejudices and unfair criticism’ in the best possible way after his arrival from Tottenham.
This fixture could be a turning point for Emerson’s career at the San Siro, provided he continues to shine in the upcoming matches.