Stefano Pioli is set to remain faithful to the players and set up which saw AC Milan win 4-0 against Napoli in Serie A recently.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below), the Milan coach will not be tinkering with the team that played so well at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Napoli visit San Siro with a record to set straight and the stakes are even higher this time as it is a Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Pioli will of course start with Mike Maignan and then a back four of Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez. The midfield two will be Rade Krunic and Sandro Tonali with Ismael Bennacer further forward as a number 10.
That pushes Brahim Diaz to the right wing and Rafael Leao to the left, with Olivier Giroud leading the line.
Napoli are without Victor Osimhen again which means that Giacomo Raspadori will lead the line. Gazzetta expect Hirving Lozano to be on the right wing and Mathias Olivera to be at left back.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Diaz, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud.
Probable Napoli XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Lozano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia.
Don’t know why but I have a feeling we’re going to play 3centre backs
Whatever the system used, we need 3 men in midfield. Thats how we dominated the last game
I wonder would Milan be better off starting a more mobile defender than KJaer, like Kalulu or Thiaw?
Obviously Kjaer is a great leader in defence and did well in the last game.
However if napoli are playing a very mobile false 9 like elmas, perhaps it would make sense to have somebody with pace in defence to mark him and also to be able to cover Calabria when Kvara starts running at the defense.
Forza Milan
Tomori can handle Elmas. Calabria will be covered by a DM. Either way this was the lineup that shutdown Napoli last time. I would only play Thiaw over Kjaer if Osimhen was playing, as that would necessitate two quick CBs plus Thiaw’s height would be more necessary. As it is, I think Pioli has it right. I think it will be 2-1 us.