AC Milan know that they need to win tonight against Feyenoord to have a chance of progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League, meaning the pressure is on.
The Rossoneri were simply not at the races in Rotterdam and failed to break down their resilient hosts. The only goal of the game came in the opening three minutes through Igor Paixao and it means that Milan will need to come from behind to progress for the first time since 2007.
Predicted starting XIs
There are a number of absences to deal with as Alessandro Florenzi, Emerson Royal and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain injured, while Luka Jovic, Alex Jimenez, Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil are not in the UEFA squad list.
Today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts a 4-2-3-1 system from Sergio Conceicao with a back four of Kyle Walker, Fikayo Tomori, Strahinja Pavlovic and Theo Hernandez in front of Mike Maignan.
Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders are down as the double pivot, with Joao Felix operating ahead of them in the attacking midfielder role.
Yunus Musah is down as the right winger and Rafael Leao on the opposite flank supporting the striker Santiago Gimenez. It could well be a slightly different system in and out of possession, though.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Musah, Joao Felix, Leao; Gimenez.
Predicted Feyenoord XI (4-3-3): Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Moder, Milambo, Bueno; Moussa, Carranza, Paixao.
It’s hard to play this system with these attacking players without impacting Reijnders’ game. Difficult one to fathom. Need a quick start and an early goal tonight if possible! Forza Milan!
Paixao say hello to Mussah, you’ll be seeing a lot of him during the match.
The main job of Musa is to give Paixao a close marking. I am sure he is up for the task.
We should have never let Kessie go
Looks like Pulisic is odd man out.
Maybe he shouldn’t extend.
Agreed. Need to watch if Pulisic signs the extension. Also Reijnders has been moved back making him less effective as a box to box midfielder. Amazing how the team is adapting to accomodate Felix. The team has also become predominantly a left sided attacking team. Yeah, you beat a terrible team – Verona. This as a long-term stratgey is questionable to me. This game should be a no-brainer win as the last one should have been. But playing hero ball shoving everything down the left side is questionable to me. All the other good teams play system ball with their good players having moments within the system. ACM is going back to the early 2000s with their playing philosophy.
I do not think Pulisic will be on bench to start. Just click bait. His and Leao’s minutes were reduced this weekend exactly so they could start this match IMO. However, I agree it would be a bad move if he is benched to start. Felix, is way overrated. Has not proven himself anywhere he has played. Let’s hope he does so here.
Musah to help with Paixao makes sense, like we did with Vinny earlier in the year. Paixao was a menace in the first leg, and in possession we’ll attack more from the left as usual anyways
Yes, in a game where we need to score multiple goals lets bench the person who has been our best offensive player. More brilliance from the small mind of Conceicao. At least we get to see Jao Felix diving all over the pitch. That’s the extent of our offensive tactics. Honestly if this coach stays Pulisic should get out and he probably will.
I am not understanding why a mediocre and loan player Joao Felix starting every match and playing every minute! is it the start of potugeuse tribalism!
You have to give that confidence to PuLisic and leao it’s what they deserve
These days conceicao start to sub pulisic instead of felix! Its must until the end of the match Pulisic and leao to be in the pitch that’s must even if its not their best day
You have to give those confidence to puli leao and Tijani
This man is a loan player you can use it when it is needed but always that is humiliating other players
Yes, this is complete nonsense. But Felix is Conceicoa’s pet. I understand starting Musah to help out on that quick little bastard that was giving Walker all sorts of problems, but there is no world in which Felix should be starting over Pulisic. He’s been our best player, he has earned the right to start.
Pulisic looked tired in the Last games, i Guess he will be our Joker from the bench tonight.
Maybe he will Start Saturday against Torino
It’s not only who plays, it’s how they are playing. The right side has nothing going on as they rarely get the ball and Felix is always camped out on the left center side of the field Reijnders has been neutrailized as a box to box midfielder to accomadate Felix. Today’s game should be an easy win due to injuries, but we’ll see.
Theo and Leao have hated Pulisic since he was first signed and he got all the attention in LA. The better Pulisic played, the harder he’s worked, the more he’s been despised.
Milan will soon sell Pulisic to placate the babies on the team.