Winning is the only option for AC Milan tonight as they take on Frosinone at San Siro hoping to build on the victory over Fiorentina last time out in the league and respond after the defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Stefano Pioli is battling a selection crisis with Sportiello, Kalulu, Kjaer, Thiaw, Pellegrino, Caldara, Leao and Okafor all injured – decimating the defensive department – and Giroud suspended. Frosinone, meanwhile, have had a good start to life back in Serie A as they sit in mid-table well above the drop zone.
There will be a number of key battles across the pitch, starting with Milan’s battle to score more goals. After eight matches played in Serie A this season, Luka Jovic has still not broken his duck since joining the Rossoneri but he will lead the line in Giroud’s absence having played well in his substitute appearance against Dortmund.
His opponent will be the 33-year-old Simone Romagnoli (no relation). The veteran centre-back will be well up for the physical battle against the Serbia international, partnering Atalanta loanee Caleb Okoli at the back.
The main threat for Frosinone is on-loan Juventus talent Matías Soulé, who already has six goals this season playing predominantly on the right flank. The task of stopping him is likely to come down to Fikayo Tomori at the moment, although there are some doubts about that.
Given that Milan have just one fit senior centre-back it is unknown whether Pioli will go with Calabria-Simic-Tomori-Theo or move Theo Hernandez inside and Tomori across to the right, with Alessandro Florenzi or Davide Bartesaghi at left-back.
Moving to the midfield, there will be an interesting physical duel in midfield between Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mehdi Bourabia. The Englishman is currently likely to start on the left side of a three-man midfield which would pit him against the Morocco international.
Frosinone tend to play with a double pivot, but given how much Loftus-Cheek likes to get forward with his driving runs the pair are likely to have quite a few battles.
Samuel Chukwueze is virtually guaranteed to start on the right side of the attack given the selection problems in the attacking department for the Rossoneri and he will look to build on the goal he scored against Dortmund – his first for the club – in midweek.
Anthony Oyono is predicted to get the nod at left-back for Frosinone despite playing a fair bit on the other side, and he will have a tough examination if the Nigerian can demonstrate some of the qualities that made him Milan’s most expensive summer signing.
Finally, there will be a tussle between the rather similarly named Tijjani Reijnders and Reiner. The Dutch midfielder is expected to start as the middle of the three-man midfield putting him a bit deeper and thus he would have to pick up the runs of the Brazilian playmaker, on loan from Real Madrid.
I hope Simic does well tonight.