GdS: No.9 position still open – three players battling for Napoli-Milan spot

Fullkrug, Pulisic and Nkunku

Photos by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Massimiliano Allegri is yet to decide the attacking duo for AC Milan’s game against Napoli tonight, with three players in the running for the final spot. 


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It’s a huge one at Stadio Maradona this evening, not just for Milan but also Napoli, as whoever wins will take control of second place. In the event of a draw, the Rossoneri would keep the spot but the distance would remain at one point, which isn’t ideal.

Either way, since the game means so much, it will be very important for Allegri to gets his tactics and selections right. We wrote earlier this morning that it’s a fantastic game from a tactical point of view, given the strength of the managers, but individual brilliance also matters a lot.

Three players, one spot

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, while the defence and midfield won’t change at all compared to the Torino game, there will be at least one change in attack. Christopher Nkunku is guaranteed a spot and Niclas Fullkrug could get the chance again, but here’s where the battle comes in.

As the paper states, Allegri still has to decide between Fullkrug, Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez. The German has a 50% chance of starting, the American 30%, and the Mexican 20%, so it’s a very open battle considering we are on gameday.

If it hadn’t been for a late return and the long travels due to the international break, Pulisic probably would have been guaranteed a spot. Rafael Leao, meanwhile, has recovered but he isn’t quite ready to start just yet, so it’s definitely a bit of a makeshift attack in such a big game.

Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Fullkrug, Nkunku.

Predicted bench: Terracciano, Pittarella, Athekame, Odogu, Bartesaghi, Jashari, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Leao, Pulisic, Gimenez.

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