AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli welcomed 10 new players over the summer, but he will continue to rely on those who brought home the Scudetto last summer.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes that there are unlikely to be any line-up surprises for tomorrow afternoon’s match at San Siro. Mike Maignan, Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud will all return to the team after not playing against Cagliari.
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All three are well-rested, and all three capable of single-handedly shifting the balance of a match, with all three hungry for success too and to win that second star.
Maignan and his left thigh are fine as he quickly got over the flexor injury that stopped him during the match against Newcastle and Pioli could have also deployed him against Cagliari but preferred not to take risks, thanks also to Sportiello’s excellent impact.
Maignan is a champion between the posts and an excellent builder of play from the back. Against Lazio and Dortmund, Milan will also need his ideas, as well as his leadership.
Against Cagliari Giroud remained on the bench for 90 minutes which is a rarity given it hasn’t happened since April. Pioli bet on Noah Okafor as a centre-forward and scored the goal that started the comeback in Sardinia, but tomorrow certainties are needed.
There are some differences with the Giroud we saw in the Scudetto-winning season. Olivier, at the start of the current campaign, seemed much more involved in the game than in the past thanks to the 4-3-3, but something is still missing.
Coolness from the spot is not missing after two penalties converted against Torino and one against Roma, but his composure in front of goal can certainly improve because his only open play goal dates back to the first round against Bologna.
Tomorrow Giroud will be 37 and he plans to celebrate them by scoring more goals in the league, perhaps taking back top spot in the Serie A scoring race.
Leao, his goal-scoring twin in the title win, will not be missing from the party. Against Cagliari he came on 20 minutes from the end, at 3-1, but without too much desire nor instruction to cause havoc given the state of the game.
The No.10 on his back has made him responsible, the captain’s armband worn against Hellas Verona relaunched him after the unfortunate back heel miss against Newcastle, but few things fire him up like big games. Tomorrow will be one of those.
