AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is expected to once again make a number of changes to the starting line-up that will face Torino compared to the team that beat Dinamo Zagreb.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that four of the back five players will remain the same as Ciprian Tatarusanu will have Pierre Kalulu in front of him at right-back, Matteo Gabbia at centre-back and Theo Hernandez at left-back. Fikayo Tomori is back from his midweek suspension and should take the spot of Simon Kjaer.
The paper predict that Ismael Bennacer will be given some rest and Tommaso Pobega will come into the team to face his former club, with Sandro Tonali partnering him in the double pivot.
Junior Messias should come in for Ante Rebic on the right, with Brahim Diaz the playmaker instead of Charles De Ketelaere and Rafael Leao completing the trident behind Divock Origi, who is tipped to take Olivier Giroud’s spot.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Tatarusanu; Kalulu, Gabbia, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Pobega; Messias, Diaz, Leao; Origi.
Probable Torino XI (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Schuurs, Rodriguez; Lazaro, Lukic, Ricci, Vojvoda; Miranchuk, Vlasic; Pellegri.
I would love to see pobega with bennacer. We might get some insight into what makes the double pivot tick. No slight to tonali, but bennacer has been on fire lately.
Pioli wants Bennacer fit for Salzburg which is 2 days after Torino match.
It was Bennacer and Pobega that started Monza.
I would not even mind seeing Leao replaced by Rebic ….We must qualify from that group to take advantage of the revenue for qualifying for second round…We need that revenue badly so we can renew Leao, Benacer contract and to get a young natural right winger.
Rebic instead of Messias….C’mon!