AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca seems to have settled on the starting line-up that he will field in tomorrow night’s Champions League opener against Liverpool.
According to what is being reported by MilanNews, there will be some changes from the win over Venezia despite the fact that the scoreline was a 4-0 rout. Fonseca wants a fully fresh side to face Arne Slot’s side, who suffered a shock Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Davide Calabria – who has recovered from the knock that made him miss the Venezia match – should return to the back four along with Fikayo Tomori, thus completing the department with Pavlovic and Theo Hernandez.
In midfield there is no doubt that Youssouf Fofana, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders will be deployed, then it is up to Fonseca to choose who between the Englishman and the Dutchman will have more attacking duties and vice versa.
The attack is completed by the irreplaceable Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao – both coming off an excellent performance against Venezia – as well as Alvaro Morata, who Fonseca confirmed will start over Tammy Abraham despite his first goal at the weekend.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo Hernanez; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Morata.
Bench: Nava, Torriani; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Terracciano, Bartesaghi; Musah, Zeroli; Chukwueze, Okafor, Abraham.
Doubts: Calabria vs. Emerson
Why Not liberali one Bench?
Real bro
Hm, duh, because he’s a youth player, very likely not ready to play against a world-class team like Liverpool?
What’s with the fascination with youth players being thrown to the wolves in the first team against grown men? That’s usually NOT a good idea!!!
Let’s allow our youth players to have the proper maturation of muscle mass, tactical awareness, and game experience, while playing a couple more seasons with either the Primavera or Milan Futuro. They will be integrated in due time.
It’s fine for them to have some cameos with the first team for a few minutes in minor games already decided, but it is insane to throw them to the responsibility of a UEFA Champions League game against one of the top 5 teams in the world.
That’s a good starting 11 he should start with that 1 please I know we can defeat Liverpool no doubt
I like the 11. Let’s see if it starts to kick our season into gear.
I’m glad to see RLC and Reijnders swapping roles and I believe that they should be placed that way in most games. However if we are setting up for quick counter attacking football which I believe we should against Liverpool then I reckon placing RLC at AM for his powerful runs like against PSG last season. These are the sort of games the big guy should flourish at attacking mid with plenty space to run at. He’s clueless dealing with tight spaces because he’s not creative but powerful and fast enough. Imo he’s a central mid that can be used a bit further up or further down depending on the amount of space the opponent is allowing you in the final third. Although unlike as an AM in open matches ,I don’t find him being anything special as a pivot in any sort of match. A suitable role for him is that complicated to find without a formation with CM.
The crazy thing is we’ve spent so much on midfielders that last two windows and yet I look at the bench….and there is no depth! It’s just Zeroli and Musah. WTF?
Roughly 75 million on four players…Reijnders, Fofana, RLC and Musah…the 4 players that will play…although I don’t understand why he continues to play Fofana…I don’t see any other midfield purchases (I went further back, assuming you meant the last two seasons, not windows), not including signings for the youth teams
We never had many options before anyways 2 seasons ago it was Tonali, Bennacer, Krunic, Aster Vrancks and pobega.
Instead of getting Emerson they should have bought Renato Veiga can play as a LB and CM and than kept Kalulu.
Imagine being delighted at seeing Calabria in the starting 11 😄.
Calabria is a solid player who gets too much stick, but I shouldn’t be jumping for joy that he’s (probably) starting.
Told ya’ll Emerson will make us appreciate Calabria.
Big brain move, bought a 15m player that is obviously worse than Calabria so we can be more appreciative for our captain.
It would be nice to see bennacer get a bigger role replacing RLC in the starting lineup
It would be.
Unfortunately he is injured for 4 months
What? Were you under a rock for the last weeks? You actually didn’t know that Bennacer ruptured one of his muscles, has just had major surgery a couple of days ago, and is out for the next four months???