AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is expected to make a couple of changes to the starting line-up for the game against Empoli compared to the team that beat Empoli, a report claims.
According to MilanNews, Pioli will keep the 4-2-3-1 formation and nine of the 11 players will remain the same including Mike Maignan, Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez in the rearguard. However, Simon Kjaer will be rested and Malick Thiaw should come back in.
Sandro Tonali and Rade Krunic are expected to be the midfield pairing, with Ismael Bennacer slightly ahead of them as the ‘No.10’. Rafael Leao should be on the left and Alexis Saelemaekers over Brahim Diaz on the right, with Olivier Giroud up front.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Saelemaekers, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud.
Probable Empoli XI (4-3-1-2): Perisan; Ebuhei, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Fazzini, Marin, Bandinelli; Baldanzi; Caputo, Satriano.
I like that there should be only 2 changes, some resting is always needed but the fact we only changed two is a positive balance to keep the overall quality and chemistry of the team together. Only thing I’m worried about is Thiaw because we can’t afford to have howlers and destroy the morale going into a big game
Poor Giroud needs a break. I think Theo does too. It’s too bad we just don’t have good subs for them. The condition of our striker group is unacceptable. Ibra is finished, he can’t stay healthy for two games in a row. Origi is useless. Giroud is too old to play every game. This department needs to be address over all others this summer.
True… We need a reliable rotation striker. Unfortunately, Ibra’s only contribution at this point of his career is off the field with the motivation and team spirit. On the field he is finished. Origi is like having one less player on the field. Having said that it might be an opportunity to give Camarda a taste of first team football and give him 10-15mins experience with weaker teams.
What do you mean about Thiaw? Howler?
As much as I like Thiaw he’s still young and relatively clumsy at times
Winning the next games in the league is more important than advancing in the Champions League. Therefore we cannot rest players.
Winning the next two games in the CL puts us in a good position to get to the final – we should be able to rest a couple of players against Empoli and Bologna – ie Micky Mouse could have played 9 against Napoli..
Giroud is fine he is class..I have always said this he makes so much space for others around him ..
I said we could beat Napoli and we did ,I also believe we will knock them out of the champions leauge .
I am fed up with all the negativity about our team .
We have a class bunch of players and a great squad ,
What a great management team and manager in pioli .we are AC Milan