AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has opted to make a number of changes to the starting line-up for the game against Cremonese compared to the team that drew with Roma.
With Lazio and Inter on the horizon Pioli has chosen to keep his protagonists fresh. Mike Maignan and Davide Calabria keep their spot but Pierre Kalulu, Malick Thiaw and Fode Ballo-Toure have come in with Simon Kjaer and Theo Hernandez rested while Fikayo Tomori is suspended.
In midfield Aster Vranckx has been given the nod from the first minute and will be partnered by Ismael Bennacer in front of the back four, with Charles De Ketelaere the attacking midfielder as the second of four Belgians.
Alexis Saelemaekers will start on the right with Brahim Diaz shifting to the left to give Rafael Leao a rest, and Divock Origi is there as the striker.
Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Thiaw, Ballo-Toure; Bennacer, Vranckx; Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere, Diaz; Origi.
Bench: Mirante, Tătăruşanu; Florenzi, Gabbia, Hernández, Kjær; Adli, Bakayoko, Krunic, Tonali; Giroud, Leão, Messias, Rebic.
Official Cremonese XI (4-3-1-2): Carnesecchi; Chiricheș, Vásquez, Lochoshvili; Sernicola, Pickel, Meïté, Benassi; Galdames; Buonaiuto, Afena-Gyan.
Bench: Saro, Sarr; Aiwu, Bianchetti, Ferrari, Ghiglione, Valeri; Acella, Castagnetti; Ciofani, Dessers, Okereke.
Rubbish lineup 70 min subs will not be enough. Draw today incoming.
Bye, bye Champions League next year. The only way we can be there is if we win it this year. This squad today cannot win against Cremonese. Just watch it.
We don’t have an attack to score goals in this lineup. So another draw is on the card!!!!
Well it’s a gamble.let’s hope it pays off!
Think Rebic should be playing striker over that donkey Origi
Wtf is ds?
You guys ain’t seeing what I am seeing… Charles to score today. $20. Anyone can place a bet with me
I will
Almost
Well where’s the 20$
Another goalless draw on card
CDK and Origi? Really, it’s like playing 11 vs 9. Pioli sucks.
How are those players playing for club like milan? They are parma southapton level players all of them except maigan leao theo tonali
Meanwhile, Inter lead 3-0 at half time, playing with their first team. Lucky they’re out of the Champions League and don’t need to rest their players. Oh, wait…
And this above all else is my problem with Pioli. The guy can’t see the big picture… to preserve the momentum from last season CL qualification is everything, every game is like a final and should be treated as such
Pioli out i guess
Just don’t get Pioli sometimes
I hate Piolis rotations!!!! – you dont have the squad for it!!!!
I think Pioli really believes in winning the UCL.
World class giroud coming on with 8 goals all season. Milan milan milan
How the hell do you leave Diaz on after this performance?
I cant watch this anymore – it is so embarrassing. Pioli is not learning anything!!!!!!!!!!!
Pioli and this whole B team out.
say what you want about Saladmaker but at least he creates – Messias on now????
Definition of stu***dity is trying the same time all over and be expecting different result/outcome…. This is my summary of Pioli and his selection and tactic
Couldn’t agree more. All the games we have lost and or draw points to smaller teams in the league is as a result of Pioli’s poor team management and coaching style. Why play Origi, CDK, Balo Toure , Thiaw and Kalulu with very little combine experience in the league.
WOW!!!!! Cremonese 1 shot 1 goal!!!!!
Bye top 4 – PioliOut this guy doesn’t understand how to manage a match
I hope Pioli is happy now
Kalulu thiaw two idiots without brain hahah
I cant believe this is happening!!!
What is Pioli thinking??? resting all our main players, like they cant play a couple of games in a row!!!
I guess that’s the season’s objectives. To stay out of European competition. Milan may not finish in top 6 after all.
Pioli team management and coaching style is not for club like Milan. Play your strong squad to beat what is in front of you, simple. This is a psychological blow and could result in unnecessary added pressure for top four in the league and the champions league.
I swear people calling for Pioli’s head has no ideas,it has never been his fault;the only time I have had to blame Me Pioli this season had been during the terrible spate of bad results at the start of 2023 that he also stalled longer than enough before he deemed it fit to switch formations even after the switch,he still find it difficult to implement the right balance but this time if AC Milan should not make it through the Champions League cut then that’s on the Management of AC Milan, particularly the former owners and the new owners:
1 AC Milan just won the title and that should motivated them to spend at least €100m on the team but no they technically avoided spending during the previous summer.
2 Okay good, point number didn’t happen,at least Cardinale should have help resolve the situations AC Milan encountered during the first half of the season by infusing cash to help ameliorate the right wing problem and cut-down on burden placed on the 37 year old Giroud during the Winter window with Ibrahimovic’s body failing him repeatedly.
3 The stinginess of the previous and the present owner had influence the decision of Maldini and Massara to place their hopes on the good for nothing Premier League export,Divork Origi- goodness me the guy display on field is worse than amateur who just started learning ball control and his country-man CDK is on another level but would grant him another season though but as for the Liverpool legend,I personally have had enough.
SOLUTIONS
1 AC Milan just need to tie down all the important pieces of this team at all cost.
2 The Manager need to be retained as he has grown with the team and Vrancks and Thiaw showing up at the twilight of this season I believe moving forward, AC Milan and Mr. Pioli should continue the partnership.
3 If AC Milan fail to win the Champions League and fail in their top 4 bidding I believe tough decisions should be made in respect of returning Brahim Diaz back to Madrid,selling Messias, return Origi back to the godforsaken hole he crawled out from,Ballo-Toure should sold outright,I still believe in the talent of Yacin Adli so he should be loaned out next season for adequate playing time,Rebic should also be sold outright, basically all dead weights should be disposed of and cut the size of the team to maximum of 25 and promote 5 highly talented Primavera graduates every two seasons to compete with the first team to spike their motivation level.
4 it should be three players competing for each wings except the goalkeeping position.The first eleven and the direct competition should be made of only the first team while their second competition should be made of the highly talented Primavera graduates to raise their hopes of getting a short at the first team.
5 If Brahim Diaz will be difficult to keep beyond this season albeit he his getting better at the moment but still highly inconsistent then he should be replaced with the bosman signing of Aoaur,then Cade Cowbell the phenomenon from the USMNT should replace the aging Messias,Bozzolan should understudy Hernandez,Chaka Traore should understudy F Leao, Retegui should replace Ibrahimovic and Lazetic should understudy them while Bennacer needs to remain in the No. 10 role to compete with Aouar.
6 The remaining transfer budget and money realized from players sold should be spent decently on other sensitive areas of the team while the academy of AC Milan should be re-evaluated and be stocked with young progenies full of potentials.
7 Finally nobody needed to be relieved of their duties but the Technical Team needs strong financial injection to supplement AC Milan and avoid the collapse of the project at the height of rewards by keeping the fundamentals and fabric of this team.
CONCLUSION
If these steps and procedures were to be implemented and adhered to AC Milan would be invincible and retain and maintain its rich history and tradition for years to come and become the envy it used to be.
Forza Milan.
Well said Sir!