AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has named his starting line-up for the game against Club Brugge, with some changes compared to Saturday’s win over Udinese.
It is crucial that Milan get their first points of their Champions League campaign in what could be a tricky fixture against the Belgian champions. The absentees are Ismael Bennacer, Marco Sportiello and Alessandro Florenzi who are recovering from surgery, plus Davide Calabria who remains out with a calf issue.
Matteo Gabbia missed the Udinese fixture after complaining of muscle discomfort but he has come back into the side, partnering Fikayo Tomori at centre-back meaning the pairing from Saturday drops to the bench. Mike Maignan is in goal, with Emerson Royal and Theo Hernandez the full-backs, given the latter’s ban only applies in the league.
Ahead of the defence is the now customary double pivot of Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders – who each face an intriguing battle against their counterparts – while Ruben Loftus-Cheek should operate ahead of them in the attacking midfielder role.
Christian Pulisic moves back to the right wing spot with Samuel Chukwueze therefore returning to the bench. Rafael Leao is back in the side after sitting out on Saturday, while Alvaro Morata leads the line. Francesco Camarda is among the subs, and if he comes on he would break a record.
Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata.
Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Pavlovic, Thiaw, Terracciano, Musah, Zeroli, Chukwueze, Okafor, Camarda.
Official Club Brugge XI (4-3-3): Mignolet, Seys, Mechele, Ordonez, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari, Vanaken; Talbi, Jutglà, Tzolis.
Bench: Jackers, Romero, Skov Olsen, Vetlesen, Vermant, Skoras, Nielsen, Spileers, Sabbe.
3 goals score, 1 conceded, I’ll buy that.
Hoping for a great game
Hopefully a comfortable and convincing 3-0 win.
On a sidenote I wonder if the lack of comments 15 minutes before kickoff is a sign that people has been sleeping in the classroom and that they think we will first play 20.45 😀 Wake up fellas !
Lol I’m sure they’ll come around.
However anything is possible as I almost slipped up today too
Yeah probably.
To be honest even though I was aware of the time I did in fact myself take a small nap until 18 00 😀 must be getting old.
lol we’re awake. I just wished Fonseca continued with Chuks in RW and Puli as AM. Wanna see how Chuk Puli Leao operate. But hoping for a win anyway.
Yeah I do also prefer us fielding Pulisic centrally as well and for me Chukwueze was the motm for me in the last match.
Might just be a tactical choice though.
Don’t take Brugge for granted because they have players out.
No teams should be taken for granted but we should nevertheless be able to beat them fairly confidently at San Siro. Time will tell though how it pans out.
Malignant and the crossbar saving us….
Looks more like a 433 in midfield not 4231. My man ruben totally invisible. Figures
Funny scene between Loftus and the Brugge player at the corner kick. Both clearly thought the ref was a complete stickler reprimanding them.
Pulisic!!!. Magic!!
If weren’t for the goal celebration, I wouldn’t have known Ruben Loftus was playing holyyy🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️ definition of invisible
That’s a red
Why are my comments awaiting approval?
That’s a great goal by Pulisic
Great shot/pass but Mignolet needs to take a lot of the responsibility for that goal in my view.
Had to check if Brugge had hired Loris Karius as their goalie.
So far, Milan are playing too comfortable, even with a man advantage. Fofana needs to take shooting drills.
I hope 2nd half will have more grinta. We have to make up with our two loses with more goals…
I swear this team is clueless in pressing. Morata and Reijnders are pressing at the same player and then pointing to each other “you’re doing it wrong,you should be pressing there instead “ that’s not encouraging to see. And even after the man advantage they were making too many passes between defenders and midfielders. Little more urgency in the second half please.
Can someone explain to me what RLC does?
Nothing
Apparently his stats are great, like the finances. Some people love numbers not football
Hopefully we are not going to sit on 1-0
Truth be told, Brugge played decent. They played and attacked with purpose. Never like to see this slow – back pass – side pass – back to GK – long pass – missed kind of possession football we’re playing. We’re equipped with players like Leao, Pulisic, Theo, Tijani. It’s a waste not to play a direct and fast kind of football.
Nice goal but why are we always the ones playing cráp football? Every other team including Brugge here seem to play with a certain system, style and plan. And we’re looking clueless and slow as usual. We’re maybe a goal up but they’re the ones taking the game to us. It’s 7 to 5 for attempts and 4 to 2 for attempts on target for Brugge. Even with a player down they’re not pulling back. If anything, they’ll go out of fuel and we’ll act like we were superior.
Agree. I dont know what kind of identity Fonseca would like to portray for his Milan. Maybe it’s time to put down his own idealism (as frankly it’s not working) and try to put a football style that’s more suited with the players’ traits he has on hands.
The first 1+-15 minutes was a horror show and we should praise ourselves lucky that we wasn’t down by 2 goals at that time.
We did change it though and the goal and red card should put us in a position to win the match fairly comfortable.
10-15 minutes
Who’s playing with 10 men again?
Yeah why the hell are we so passive when we are one man up, absolutely ridiculous.
lol, let’s stop prolonging the inevitable fire Fonseca and hire a good coach. Even better sell the club to Maldini and his Saudi backers.
F*cking Club Brugge is playing better than us, in our f*cking home, with 10 f*cking players.
If I just walked in right now, I would think Brugge are the ones with 11 men on the field.
Brugge made 2 subs at halftime and none of them was a CB, which tells me they aint afraid of us even being one man down. smdh. I thought we’re done with Pioli ball but here we are again. This is ridiculous.
yep
What a joke of a team!
Being outplayed and out passed by 10 man Brugges at HOME!
Remember how we played with 10 men the last day? Sat back and suffered and were blessed not to concede, only for crazy VAR
That is what I said on Saturday
Club Bru are looking comfortable on the ball and Milan are not. Like 11 v 11. Embarrassing
I bet the fans are dying to pay 100 euro to get your ass kicked at home by 10 men from farmers league must be pleasing. I bet at the press conference Fonseca will revert to his : “idk why the players played like this”..
Only just managed to turn it on – we’re a man up but playing like women?
Hell yeah Okafor what an entrance.
People were saying the other day he’s no better than Messias or Salad…
Yeah I did notice that but i certainly didn’t. I’ve always said he was a left wing when others said he was primarily a cf.
👌 – and Chuk… I wonder if these people have eyes sometimes.
Yeah absolutely I always liked Chukwueze and since he and Pulisic joined us it has irritated me greatly that we didn’t utilize them as we are during currently.
Now Camarda subbed on as well 🙂
That’s why you start with Okafot
Okafor baby!!! That’s what you can do. Good finish Reijnders!!
Wow Leao won’t take this easily.
That tells you all you need to know about Leao’s future at the club. wasn’t even celebrating with his teammates. This is only where I applaud Fonseca’s balls to take him off for sure!!! No player is bigger than the team.
Without RLC and Leao, these guys enjoying playing with each other honestly. Might explain why we played well during preseason games
Oh man that was a huge huge f*ck you in Leao’s face. He was still walking to the bench when Okafor already assisted. Nice to see Okafor performing.
We play more like a team without Leao, it’s sad to say
I don’t give Leao a lot of abuse, but look at his reaction when Milan scored!!!!!
Not a team player!
Very disappointing to see!!
Subbing in Chukwueze and Okafor completely changed the game
Reijnders x 2
What a pair of subs!
Actually they should’ve beeN the ones starting this march. But all good. Hopefully Fonseca learns.
Here he comes!!
Idk why he didn’t take off pulisic..he’s been doing overtime since season started
If Camarda scores I’m going to lose it! Let’s go prodigy
Got your wish
Pulisic was greedy there – should have put it on a plate for the nipper
Yeeeeesssssss
Camarda 4-1
Damn offside. Well at least it was a fair enough after viewing the replay.
Omg Camarda.!!!!!
Camarda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh no!
Wtf ref
Easy come easy go
Damn!
They should have pushed to get Camarda an actual goal. lol