AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has some rotation in mind ahead of the league game against Fiorentina on Saturday night and the Champions League last 16 second leg against Spurs the following Wednesday.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) report how there will be no Rade Krunic and Rafael Leao for the game in Florence due to suspension, while Davide Calabria, Alessandro Florenzi and Ismael Bennacer should be available again, but they should start from the bench.
Alongside Sandro Tonali in midfield one of Tommaso Pobega, Aster Vranckx and Tiemoue Bakayoko should therefore be selected with the Italian the favourite. Ante Rebic is ahead of Divock Origi in the battle to take Leao’s spot on the left of the attacking trident.
There could be a possible change at right wing-back with Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers, competing for that spot just as Simon Kjaer should come into the three-man defence to replace one of Malick Thiaw or Fikayo Tomori. Finally, Charles De Ketelaere could take Brahim Diaz’s place.
Probable XI vs. Fiorentina (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Kjaer, Thiaw/Tomori; Saelemakers, Pobega, Tonali, Theo Hernandez; De Ketelaere, Rebic; Giroud.
Then, for the game against Spurs on March 8, Pioli should rely on the Kalulu-Thiaw-Tomori trio at the back again, with Messias returning to the line-up as the right wing-back and Bennacer alongside Tonali in the midfield (if the Algerian isn’t ready then it will be Krunic). In attack, Diaz and Leao will be behind the immovable certainty Giroud.
Probable XI vs. Spurs (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Thiaw, Tomori; Messias, Bennacer/Krunic, Tonali, Theo Hernandez; Diaz, Leao; Giroud.
poor theo he has no backup
Why can’t we put Ballo Toure in such matches, maybe he can offer more with this formation. At least Theo will be fresh for Spurs game
Team has full week rest before Fiorentina and we are already without 2 starters. No need to rotate to much. Maybe sub him off if the game is going our way.
But I wouldn’t mind seeing FBT in LWB position. It might suit him better than LB.
I would play Messias against Viola and Sale against Spurs. Messias is an asset going forward, but he is a liability.
Yea…i concur
why not Dest for fiorentina game?
Between Messias, Saelemaekers and Calabria, Dest doesn’t really find a way into the starting 11.
Prefer playing Saelemaekers against Spurs since he did an amazing job for us against them. Also he is more solid defensively, better than Messias.
Play Ibra! Give Giroud a rest.