AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has been forced into a midfield change for tonight’s game against Napoli, and it will see a pairing used together for the first time.
As this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes, after four games in a row with the same starting line-up Pioli will finally be forced to make an alteration.
Tijjani Reijnders will in fact not be available as he has been banned for one match by the Sporting Judge for racking up too many yellow cards. It is his first absence of the season, having played in every other game.
Without the Dutchman, the Milan double pivot will be made up of Ismael Bennacer and Yacine Adli, two players who now occupy similar roles but they play their position very differently.
The paper adds that it will be the first time that the Franco-Algerian duo have ever played together from the first minute. The two have obviously already played together for a few minutes in recent years at Milan, but never from the start of the match.
Between them, they must keep tabs on Napoli’s transition plan and aim to stop Kvicha Kvaratshkelia getting hold of the ball and creating danger, given he will be playing a more central role.
