Stefano Pioli is expected to recall Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud to the starting lineup when AC Milan take on Slavia Prague in the Europa League on Thursday.
As reported by Corriere dello Sport (via Pianeta Milan), the Milan coach is going to take the game very seriously despite the two-goal lead in the tie from the first leg.
The Europa League is Milan’s only chance of silverware and could be what keeps Pioli in the job for another season, and a place in the quarter-finals is within touching distance.
The leg in Milan was won 4-2 by the Rossoneri, although it should have been a much bigger margin given the Czech side were down to 10 players for more than half the match.
Mike Maignan will remain in goal, with Davide Calabria at right back and two of Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori and Simon Kjaer at centre-back and Theo Hernandez at left-back.
The midfield two of Ismael Bennacer and Tijjani Reijnders should remain which means Yacine Adli being on the bench. Leao and Giroud will form the usual front four with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic also playing.
Milan probable lineup vs Slavia Prague (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Hernandez; Reijnders, Bennacer; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud.
where is gabbia?
Yes I’d be tempted to start him over Thiaw. He’s the player who’s been in form while Thiaw’s been channeling Onyewu – so it’s kinda strange he gets dumped like this.
Ha!
Even though I wont discard Thiaw as a talented young player with a lot of promise he has indeed looked really shaky on occasions this season so I would definitely also start Gabbia instead. In fact if I were in Slavia Pragues shoes I would specifically try to target thiaw and force him to make some of his mishaps that has already been costly for us this season. That scenario is very likely considering that we can expect a highly intense match where also the audience will try to unsettle us throughout the entire match.
Good idea. I feel much better about Gabbia.
I thought the exact same thing. The only real criticism of Gabbia is he doesn’t play a high line but the only CB we have that can is Tomori.
Formation is a good one, though I’d rather see Gabbia instead of Thiaw. No reason to drop Gabbia.
See the stats of tomori and thiaw starting together
Kjaer and Gabbia are the best partners is like Pioli is doing partiality if not Gabbia is far better and useful than tomori so Kjaer and Gabbia are best of partners
Kjaer has been a major defensive liability. As much as I love the guy, he is now causing major errors.
I don’t understand the need to start Kjaer when Gabbia and Tomori are fit against a young & fast side. Why?
Look at tomori and thiaw stats when starting together
Great that Olivier Giroud and the incredible talent of Rafeol leao will start ,,,also with pulisic and loftus cheek ….i want to see a realy good performance in this match ….i love all your comments…
Coming back to Olivier Giroud he has had a good season ..yes 37 years of age …I think we would all love him to reach over 20 goals this season ,in all competitions…
We as a team are doing well only one team better than us at the moment …inter Milan .
Look how well we have done in the leauge of late ,,yes second …
I would love us to reach the final of the Europa leauge .if we do that then I see this as a huge success..
Just remember there are some good teams in it including bayer leverercusen ,,,Roma ,,and of course Liverpool…
We will of course have to be at our very best .