The Euro-Italian clash between AC Milan and Roma is fast approaching, and today’s training session provided further clues as to how Stefano Pioli will line the team up.
MilanNews start by confirming the absences: Fikayo Tomori is suspended, Pierre Kalulu is injured and Jan-Carlo Simic does not qualify for the UEFA squad list. Clinton Nsiala and Davide Bartesaghi will not be called up, and Alex Jimenez is out until the end of the season.
Thus, Milan will arrive with the following available defenders: Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi as right backs, Simon Kjaer, Matteo Gabbia and Malick Thiaw as central defenders, then Theo Hernandez as left-back plus the versatile Filippo Terracciano.
The good news concerns the German centre-back, who carried out the entire training session with the rest of the squad today after a couple of days working on his own and will therefore be available for Thursday’s match at San Siro.
Despite the few men available, Pioli will still be able to afford the luxury of making choices in defence. Two out of four are 100% sure of their place: Theo Hernadenz as left-back Gabbia as left centre-back.
Who will complete the department? At the moment, Davide Calabria has the advantage over former Roma man Alessandro Florenzi, while Kjaer – who played a part of the match against Lecce – should be preferred to Thiaw.
Worst case scenario, we’ll have Theo playing as CB and Florenzi as left-back
It’s a no brainer.. calabria, kjaer, gabbia and the Theo