Stefano Pioli is expected to remain loyal to the eleven players that beat Napoli 4-0 in Serie A when the two sides face off again in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
As has been suggested by Milan News, the coach will be using the 4-2-3-1 formation again and it will feature the same players in the same positions.
That means that Rade Krunic and Ismael Bennacer will both again be in roles that would normally be considered the wrong way around.
Krunic will be playing deeper alongside Sandro Tonali and Bennacer will be in the number 10 role, pushing Brahim Diaz out to the right wing. The other wing will see Rafael Leao in the position he scored two goals from in the Serie A win.
Simon Kjaer will be trusted alongside Fikayo Tomori with Davide Calabria and Theo Hernandez on each side. Olivier Giroud will of course be leading the line.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Brahim Diaz, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud.
Probable Napoli XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Oliveira; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia.
I wonder would Milan be better off starting a more mobile defender than KJaer, like Kalulu or Thiaw?
Obviously Kjaer is a great leader in defence and did well in the last game.
However if napoli are playing a very mobile false 9 like elmas, perhaps it would make sense to have somebody with pace in defence to mark him and also to be able to cover Calabria when Kvara starts running at the defense.
Forza Milan