Arab magicians Brahim and Bennacer key to Milan's European ambitions

In an alternative timeline, Ismael Bennacer and Brahim Diaz would, a week or so from now, be facing one another in the tight battle for the Premier League. Time was these two young midfielders were bright prospects at Arsenal and Manchester City.

In another parallel world, they might be imposing their midfield excellence in tandem in the jersey of the highest-achieving national team in the history of the Mena region. The bad news for Morocco is that France-born Bennacer chose, in his late teens, to represent the land of his mother, Algeria, rather than of his Moroccan father. Bennacer would nurse only mild, if any, regrets about that. The 25-year-old was Player of the Tournament when Algeria triumphed at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Brahim, meanwhile, is playing a waiting game with his pair of international suitors. He was born in Malaga, Spain, 23 years ago, and played in age-group matches and one senior friendly for his native country through the period he was a City starlet and Premier League winner, then a Real Madrid capture and Liga champion and, more recently a Serie A winner with AC Milan.

In the last four months he thought long and hard about an invitation to play for Morocco’s Atlas Lions, for whom he is eligible through his father. It is no secret the temptation grew as he watched Morocco soar past Spain at Qatar 2022 and into a World Cup semi-final.

In the real timeline of here and now, the blessing of bracketing Bennacer and Brahim together is exclusively Milan’s. And they are 90 minutes from guiding the club to the last four of club football’s most prestigious competition for the first time since 2007. Milan go to Napoli on Tuesday with a 1-0 advantage in their Uefa Champions League quarter-final.

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