There have been a few suggestions about which formation Massimiliano Allegri would use against Bari. Now, the AC Milan head coach may have decided.
A cup game in the first round is never fun, especially for a club the size of Milan. However, after last season, it is a chance to remind themselves physically of the results of dropping standards. So, the game against Bari is as much of a point to prove, as much as it is a punishment.
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Allegri’s choice
Allegri, reportedly, has been weighing up using a 4-3-3 and a 3-5-2 for this clash. However, MilanPosts on X relays an image from this morning’s Gazzetta dello Sport, suggesting it will be the latter.
In defence, Mike Maignan will start the first official game of the season, whilst Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic will sit as the back three. Of course, it is important to remember the Englishman can play as a right-back too, to allow versatility tactically.
In midfield, Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupinan will cover the flanks. A midfield trio of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samuele Ricci and Youssouf Fofana is expected. Leading the line, Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao will work together again.
Rather than playing alongside the Portuguese, Pulisic may sit in a deeper role to create a little more.
📰 @Gazzetta_it: Probable XI v Bari pic.twitter.com/SHlUSjZzwA
— Milan Posts (@MilanPosts) August 14, 2025
I’m a bit doubtful of 352 with Pulišić and Leao spearheading the attack. I cannot get pass the fact this same system backfired when used in Juventus and with Chiesa up front. Sure Pulišić is quite versatile and intelligent player but still. I hope it clicks.
I’m nervous about it too. I think 3-5-2 will ultimately mean the end of Pulisic in Milan, as I think once they get this striker in it will send him to the bench. Then we’ll also have a problem in 2026 with Leao, as his contract is up in 2028 and renewing him with a salary increase is going to be almost impossible. So we could potentially be looking at a Leao departure in 2026 due to financial reasons AND a Pulisic departure due to player happiness reasons, which would be catastrophic.
Why? His best quality isn’t dribbling or getting past players in the wing. He is more of a second striker than a winger. This suits him more than Leao.
I tend to agree with you. Pulisic is especially deadly on the counterattack. If Allegri plays a counterattacking style, it could suit Pulisic very well.
I’m under the impression he’s more productive on the wings, but that could be wrong.
Honestly I an unclear on the 352 thing. We have been playing 3421base, 532/541 in defense and a fluid counter attack.
It’s not like these are 12 yr olds with field position assginments and coaches yelling “Forma! Forma!”
If the personnel in the article is accurate then more likely they would like up
MM
FT – MG – SP
AS – SR – YF – PE
RLC – CP
RL
Given CP high football IQ I would expect to see him and AS wreaking havoc on Bari with RLC poaching.
Having players like this will help us unlock the low block when we are not on the counter (Rafa).
Rafa movement (a ? for me) will open many channels for AS, RLC & CP as Bari try to mark him out.
Agree they can be flexible with this line up and 3 CB formation.
During the game it could just as easily become 343 with Saelemaekers moving wide right in a front 3 and RLC moving back into a line of 4 midfield. Pulisic and Leao can interchange roles of who is CF and LW.
However I have my doubts that Pulisic is fit enough to start seeing he has skipped the last 3 friendlies
Great point on Pulisic fitness. Indeed and again because Saelemakers we have a like for like replacement with only a small drop I quality.
I’ll take that luxury but who starts at RW?
That’s a huge drop in quality. Pulisic has more goals and assists in 1 season than Saleamakers has in his career.
There is no RW in this formation.
if Pulisic is gonna be SS, then getting another striker is redundant…
RLC’s “box-crasher” would make more sense to me… then signing a striker seems more justifiable, or maybe due to lack of targets in that role we are shifting how Puli is gonna play?!
if so, Comuzzo for 5-10M loan 20-25M option which if we get into top 4 turns obligation, would have been great option.
Pavlovic – Comuzzo – DeWinter
Barte – Gabbia – Tomori
I think their going for the Leicester cb
who is a rando… Comuzzo had better numbers than Thiaw last year (excluding long range passes)
Pioli and Commisso aren’t going to let go of Comuzzo.
3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2 should be the correct choice, that way we can rotate comfortably without putting too much strain on the players in this match.
It worked vs Liverpool, so I am pretty sure it will work vs Bari. Looking forward to see how they perform.
Bari is a very dangerous team and should try even with 6 in defense and no creation in the middle. My Milan, what are you waiting for 🤦
take off Saelemaekers and put Pulisic on the right. Add Gimenez up top next to Leao.
The comparisons between Chiesa and Pulisic are unfounded. They’re very different players. Pulisic has experience and talent in playing as a 2nd striker and is much better in driving the ball down the middle of the pitch where Chiesa is actually more like Leao in having a very specific style and path he likes to travel on the pitch. Pulisic likes playing as a 10 and as a second striker. This formation is the best possible outcome at the moment. Focusing on how the attack will work is what got us into trouble last year. If the defense and mid are well balanced, the attack will take care of its self. It all starts from the back.
I agree. I always wanted to see Pulisic closer to the goal, he scores from incredible positions and is really quick with taking his shots.
Like I said, Pulišić is more versatile and intelligent so it could work.
Milan can still play a 4312 information leao and gimenez and puslisic behind
Sure, let’s play without a striker altogether and see what happens. Are both puli and Leao supposed to track back and help defend? Only one of two? Neither? More questions than answers so far.
Calling out the tracking back is interesting but maybe unfounded in this case?
The only player who doesn’t is Rafa. He is up top so even when we are 541 his defensive responsibilities are minimal and he is ideally placed for the counter with his pace and skill.
With Saelemakers on the right, how much tracking back to Pulisic actually need to to? The guy (Saele) runs his socks off.
With Estupinan much more defensively focused, there isn’t the space for counter and channel that there was in the previous Theao setup.
I expect Bari to park the bus from the first minute, so I’m keen to see how we unlock it. What we see will tell us much more about our first few Liga games.
Pulisic connects the midfield and attack quite well. Hopefully at least one of these midfielders have that quality if Leao and CP are pushed all the way up.
Leao directly threatens the opponent’s goal while Pulisic links the midfield with Leao. There will be no real CF in this match. If we cannot score, Gimenez will come in for Pulisic and we play long balls…
We know Gimenez, Modric and Jashari are not yet match fit. So I think you are quite right and we will see Gimenez get a good run out at the end. Modric and Jashari will likely get shorter ones.
Pulisic shoots and often scores whenever he gets into a half chance. He should play as a second striker, and 100% not on RWB.
The formation is for this Sunday, with another 4-5 days of practice prior to Cremonese on Saturday.
Pulisic playing forward and centrally is his strength. Overlapping runs with Saelemaekers and RLC will cause opposing defenses to mark them closely, especially when the ball is at Leao’s feet on the left – especially against a Serie B Bari squad.
I am significantly more curious about the lineup for Cremonese, especially as Modric approaches top conditioning.
Yes, we should beat Bari easily on speed and skills alone without having to reveal key tactical plans pre Cremonese.
A 3-5-2 against a crap team- lol. You need a big striker as they will sit back and you’re going to need to get crosses into the box. There’s a reason Pulisic has not signed an extension. He doesn’t fit in Allegri ball. He had to deal with playing as a wing back/outside back with Tuchel. After the world cup he’s gone. As an American who cares about the national team, I wish he would move now.
Tuchel is a lunatic. Allegri is a terrorist. Allegri will find purpose for Pulisic in blowing up the bus that gets parked in front of us.
LOL about Tuchel- playing Timo Werner and the buying Sterling rather than playing Pulisic. The issue with Tuchel is he’s stubborn even when it wasn’t working. Who does that remind you of? Conte can adapt to game situations and his players.
Fair point. I was trying to make a distinction between different sorts of fanaticisms.
My honest opinion is that Tuchel is stubborn to the point of irrationality and self destruction.
Pioli was similarly stubborn in persisting with tactics he could not coach nor had the players for (all the inversion) in his last season.
Allegri is the least stubborn of the three. Not saying he is NOT stubborn, just LESS stubborn.
You have me chuckling as I type this 🙂
Now I’m laughing.
I think you went to quickly into worst case scenario mode regarding Pulisic. Every coach has his favourites but it is not yet written that Pulisic will not play a leading role this year.
I personally would rather ditch the CF hunt and focus on Leao/Puli/ Gimenez/ okafor quadruple for the two attacking spots till January and get a world class CB to lead the defensive line instead but we have to give Tare/Allegri a chance.
The 3-5-2 can actually make Milan a solid team and predictable target men are not a necessity .
We all appreciate Christian and he has also flourished in the Milan Jersey so let’s see how the team will develop under Allegri.
So no strikers… not sure i like that. Neither leao or pulisic know how to hold the ball well or have that killer instinct inside the box
If anything it’s going to be a 4-4-2 with Tomori as RB, Salad as RM, Pulisic as LM, and Leao plus RLC upfront. That’s how we played against Liverpool. Heck, even in defense RLC was on top putting pressure on the CBs. I don’t know where people get all these weird formations 5-4-1, 3-5-2, 2-6-7 …. Strange.
where is Be winter, or be fall??
Dragonball meme dude is gonna be madddd hahah 🙂
Very happy with Leao at striker, especially against weaker teams. It crushes any hope of pushing up the field for them, and it gives Leao a chance to prove himself, after a year spent fighting his own manager.
Maignan’s good too, obviously.
But that’s where my happiness ends. Everyone else is too weak to win Serie A this year. This is of course what happens when you depose a Serie A winning manager, and put idiots in charge of your club for a year+. You quickly deteriorate. This is a far wearker team than in 2024/25, talent-wise.
The good news is, Allegri can help the team bounce back, even with lesser talent. SLOWLY. Expectations need to be a CL finish, at most. Hoping for anything better is foolish.
I think Leao as a striker against weaker teams is not the way to go. When they park the bus they’ve effectively neutralized what he does. ACM will need a big, strong striker in the box.
Jim, what are your thoughts on Pulisic? Would you sell him?
If he is not going to be useful in the system Allegri plays and his value is just going to go down, then yes. Because after this year he only has one year left on his contract. After the WC, if he is not really utlized by Allegri he’ll push to leave.
Thought they already got rid of the rat in the locker room.
How would they know what formation Max is planning to use?
With De Winter and Athekame just arriving maybe the 3 CB’s makes sense for this match.