Massimiliano Allegri has named the first competitive starting line-up of his second spell in charge of AC Milan.
After finishing eighth in the 2024-25 season, Milan enter the Coppa Italia at the last 32 stage rather than the round of 16. As such, their season starts a week earlier than the rivals, facing Bari at San Siro tonight.
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AC Milan vs. Bari: Official starting XIs
Allegri has chosen to name a three-man defence, with Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupinan as the wing-backs either side of the centre-back trio of Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic from right to left.
The coach has opted to field a midfield trio ofSamuele Ricci, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Youssouf Fofana. It means that new signings Ardon Jashari and Luka Modric start on the bench, as does Koni De Winter.
Up front, Rafael Leao will lead the line alongside Christian Pulisic who will likely play in a role slightly behind him, having recovered from the ankle knock he received in the game against Liverpool.
Official Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Fofana, Estupiñan; Pulisic, Leao
Bench: Pietro Terracciano, Pittarella, De Winter, Gimenez, Modric, Okafor, Jimenez, Chukwueze, Athekame, Jashari, Bartesaghi, Ivanov, Musah.
Official Bari XI: Cerofolini, Sibilli, Pagano, Bellomo, Moncini, Pereiro, Vicari, Dickmann, Braunoder, Nikolaou, Dorval.
Bench: Pissardo, De Lucci, Tripaldelli, Gytkjaer, Teixeira, Kassama, Rao, Manzari, Partipilo, Pucino, Verreth, Mane, Mavraj.
Two new players, several to come off the bench for a lift – makes sense. Feels like the sort of game Gimenez should be ideal for, but let’s see how Pulisic and Leao can combine with no focal point or obvious AM.
So this milan team have 4 CBs and 1 striker.
What do we do?
Let’s play with 3 backs and 2 strikers of course!!!
maybe this role is best for Leao
hope it is
FORZA MILAN!
Mmmm I’m not comfortable with this formation at all but I hope I’m definitely wrong. 🤞
4-4-2 with Tomori as RB, Pulisic as LM, and Leao and RLC as strikers. That’s what we will actually see.
As long we see 3 points, I don’t really care what else we see. Forza Milan, at this point.
3 points?
Lol, I mean a win, obviously.
Yeah, agreed mate
Well, looks more like a 4-5-1 with RLC an extra 50/50, Pulisic on the left, Salad on the right. We got a chance almost every time Bari went up for attack, but it’s only Bari, and even against them we need to be more clinical. Pulisic is not in form.
Who is Ivanov
Looks to be from the U19 team, 17 year old kid from Bulgaria.
Too quick for me 😀
Valeri Ivanov Vladimirov a 17 year old cb from Bulgaria who joined us last year and currently plays for Milan U 18 squad.
nice bench, but could be better.
Hope this is not an FC Caen repeat.
Anyways, one thing of note, he has a recognized striker but he’s on the bench..hmmm 🤔
Looks like he recognized said striker isn’t reading the new style of play very well.
Gimenez looks lost the moment he leaves the 6 yd box.
Too bad he only set up Pulisic’s goal exquisitely with a fantastic run /s
Canale 5 or livetv.sx for free folks … Forza milan
I wonder how long before the cavalry are required?
Here we go boys, season 2025-26! Forza Milan!
Forza Milan ❤🖤
Leao!
And he’s hurt…
RLC is boss in the midfield right now.
Pulisic looking average and selfish. Gimenez could easily have two goals if they feed him in those spaces
Hey, Fofana is shooting on target…
Yea I’m like who is this guy shooting not in row triple Z 😅
Mama Mia, without Leao this team has no pace or penetration. Especially now Tiji and Theo are gone
Yep
And there it is. 42 min into the season and the first “I miss Theo” moan. Style points for enhancing it by rubbing some Reinjders on it.
12 shots this half is certainly anemic.
Was that 3 on target?
Yep we’ll miss those 2 in attacck. Theo is the best attacking full back we ever had. Now we are playing wing backs he is sold, madness.
How could we not? 25% of our goal contributions came from those two. That ain’t insignificant
I hope Gimenez gets a goal,he is under pressure and could use a break
Bad half
Decent performance for playing at a more calm pace, in complete control. Salemaekers has looked lively on the right, Ricci doing what a Regista does setting the tempo when he has the ball, a solid, calm display, defense is much more relaxed and in tune than I’ve seen in years. Good start for playing at half tempo. Gimenez needs to read the game better, not sure what he is doing up front, needs to show better concentration as well.
Plenty of shots. Heck even Fofana appears to be within a meter of the frame.
Ball is moving well. Players moving well except Gimenez but that is to be expected.
Sweet cross from Tomorri on the assist. Pulisic looks dangerous but there have been some really nice blocks on a couple of his shots.
New coach, couple new starters, early injury, new formation. We look good and I expect we will look even better in the second half.
I’m not judging scoresheet, it is Serie B club we’re against but I really love the ball movement, something we did not see since our Scudetto season. They communicate well and play as a team and not a bunch of individuals thrown together.
Saele is tireless, he’s everywhere and I like what I’m seeing from Estupinan as well considering he just came. Good and lively game from the lads.
Saele has been great. He is an engine. Ricci also impressed. Understated performance. His job was to come deep and distribute and he did it mistake free. He did his job.
Yeah we have needed someone like him for a long time
Oh no, donkey Musah on to lower the level of the team…
Modric is already showing he is levels above Ricci.. see movement and passes
Levels!!!
Even at 40, pure class
Well we are talking about a guy that has been the best Regista in world football for the past decade. That’s why he’s here, so Jashari and Ricci can learn from him.