AC Milan are set to make a lot of changes for the second Serie A game of the season with Paulo Fonseca having a lot of decisions to make against Parma.
The expectation was that Alvaro Morata would be handed his first start for the club after coming off the bench against Torino and inspiring Milan to secure a 2-2 draw from 2-0 down, but the Spaniard picked up an injury in that game and won’t be involved against Parma.
That leaves Fonseca needing to decide whether Noah Okafor or Luka Jovic will take Morata’s place. The La Gazzetta dello Sport prediction (as seen below) was that it would be Okafor and Fonseca confirmed as much in his press conference on Friday.
There should be a first start for Strahinja Pavlovic who may take Malick Thiaw’s place in the back four, whilst Theo Hernandez is expected to return and form a back four in front of Mika Maignan comprising Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Pavlovic and Hernandez.
Ismael Bennacer could soon leave the club and he is expected to have his place alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek taken by Tijjani Reijnders.
In the attacking trio behind Okafor, the same three names will be selected. Rafael Leao on the left, Christian Pulisic in his new central role, and Samuel Chukwueze on the right wing.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Reijnders, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao, Okafor.
Predicted Parma XI (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Coulibaly, Del Prato, Circati, Valeri; Estevez, Bernabe; Man, Sohm, Mihaila; Bonny.
Many fans will have wanted to see Youssouf Fofana start but Fonseca said in his press conference that the Frenchman and Emerson Royal need a bit more time. They are expected to be on the bench, though.
