Comparing the opening XI of Milan in 20/21 and 21/22 – seven changes in total

By Isak Möller -

AC Milan will begin their season away at Sampdoria tomorrow evening, hoping to at least replicate the positive campaign they had last time out. Since then, however, there have been some changes to the starting XI.

Overall, the XI is pretty similar to what we saw towards the end of the season, bar the departures of Gigio Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu. But due to injuries, as was the case last year as well, tomorrow’s (probable) XI will be a bit different.

And if you compare it to the XI that faced Bologna in the opening game last season, there is a total of seven changes (maybe eight). The aforementioned players are two of them and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is another, but it’s hard to argue that the XI is worse.

Milan XI 20/21 (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, Hernandez; Bennacer, Kessie; Castillejo, Calhanoglu, Rebic; Ibrahimovic.

Milan XI 21/22 (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Hernandez; Bennacer (Krunic), Tonali; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leao; Giroud.

Olivier Giroud has been on fire during pre-season and shares similar characteristics to Ibrahimovic. The absence of Franck Kessie, on the other hand, will be a blow for Stefano Pioli’s team.

But then you also have clear improvements, such as Fikayo Tomori instead of Matteo Gabbia and Alexis Saelemaekers instead of Samu Castillejo. What do you think, which XI is the best?

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Tags AC Milan Bologna Sampdoria Stefano Pioli

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