AC Milan are back in Coppa Italia action tomorrow night as they welcome Atalanta to San Siro for a one-legged quarter-final tie.
Milan swept aside Cagliari last Tuesday night while Atalanta comfortably beat Sassuolo to set up the meeting between the two Lombardy rivals, with a spot in the final four at stake.
Today’s edition of Corriere dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) has relayed the predicted line-up of Stefano Pioli’s side for the match against La Dea, after the heavy rotation for the game a week ago.
Mike Maignan should remain in goal but Alessandro Florenzi is unavailable due to a muscle problem and Simon Kjær is likely to rest. Davide Calabria should beon the right, with either Jan-Carlo Simic or Matteo Gabbia partnering Theo Hernández in the heart of the rearguard.
On the left, the battle seems to be between two Primavera stars – namely Álex Jiménez and Davide Bartesaghi – both of whom have been getting more opportunities in the first team of late.
Yunus Musah is tipped to return from the first minute in midfield and Yacine Adli should make way for him. The American will therefore play with Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Finally, in attack Olivier Giroud should be rested after he played all 90+ minutes of the game against Empoli on Sunday, so Luka Jovic will act as centre-forward flanked by Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Simic (Gabbia), Theo Hernández, Álex Jiménez (Bartesaghi); Musah, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leão; Jovic.
Bench: Mirante, Nava, Bartesaghi (Álex Jiménez), Gabbia (Simic), Kjær, Nsiala-Makengo, Adli, Terracciano, Zeroli, Romero, Chaka Traorè, Giroud.
Why not rest Theo? Dude is playing for 4 years almost without a brake, only when injured…
That’s the responsibility of being expensive players, like cr7, messi, neymar,mbappe, and so on
We are trying to win, right? You want a backline of Calabria-SImic-Gabbia-Jiminez…? Good luck with that. I’m not even comfortable without Kjaer in there to lead the line.
dude when is sportiello back?
Traore is hot, right now. Why not give 60 minutes of rest to either Leao or Pulisic?
I’d also like to see Giroud NOT play at all. He’s 37, for God’s sake! Let Jovic start and give Camarda some minutes.
Because we are trying to win, and those are our best players. This isn’t Cagliari’s B side we are facing this time, its Atalanta. This will be a tough match.