AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is starting to consider the team that he will field on Saturday night against Frosinone, and some developments have arrived regarding the available players.
There is no way to sugar coat it: Milan are approaching the match against Frosinone in a total defensive emergency given they have only one fit central defender in the senior squad which is Fikayo Tomori.
Not only that, but the Rossoneri will also be without a trio of forwards that would have been very useful indeed in Rafael Leao and Noah Okafor through injury plus the suspended Olivier Giroud. They face. Frosinone side that are full of confidence having had a positive return to the top flight so far.
Sky correspondent Peppe Di Stefano spoke live from Milanello this evening and as part of his update he discussed the absences Milan are battling, the solutions for the defence and the latest on Bennacer’s condition.
“Many absences at the moment for Milan. Malick Thiaw is only the latest in an endless series of injuries for the Rossoneri, which will have to field a new line-up on Saturday,” he said (via Radio Rossonera).
“They will miss Olivier Giroud and up front, in all likelihood, he will be replaced by Luka Jovic, who paradoxically in the 15 minutes against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League did better than what he showed in the previous three months. But it doesn’t end there! There is great curiosity about the defence, and it remains to be understood who will play alongside Fikayo Tomori.
“There are two or three solutions: there is the youngster Simic from the Primavera, there is Rade Krunic adapted and there could also be the possibility of inserting Davide Calabria as a central defender with the insertion of Florenzi on the right. Translated: four defenders out! Even today Simon Kjaer trained separately, as did Kalulu, as well as Pellegrino.
“Speaking of recoveries, however, there is good news for Milan: Bennacer is really forging ahead. The Algerian could even be on the bench on Saturday, Stefano Pioli will decide tomorrow. Who, however, we will not see on the bench even on Saturday will be Rafael Leao, technical leader of this team.
“It’s a very complicated moment. Yesterday they spoke about it at Milanello Furlani together with Pioli and Gerry Cardinale, but Milan want to try to get out of it with their own strength, with their own legs, with their own men and with their own ideas. And above all with Stefano Pioli.”
I hope Simic is the option we go with. The only positive from all these injuries is that hopefully Primavera players get some minutes.
Calabria struggle is in his natural position with inconsistent performances. Playing him at CB is madness.
Krunic while flexible isn’t particularly fantastic at any one position and has been playing at his ceiling for a while now…
So let’s stop putting square pegs into round holes for a change and play Simic where he belongs.
Je crois que Simic peut prendre en confiance et en maturiter pendant ce genre de matchs… jamais calabria ou krunic en CB car c’est une grosse folie de le faire…
Last chance for pioli. No matter what he do, who will play cb, cardinale need win or pioli will go
It’ 5 central defenders out (+Caldara)