AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has made multiple changes to the starting line-up for this evening’s game against Cagliari compared to the team that beat Hellas Verona.
Milan have seemingly reverted to a 4-3-3 after the 3-4-3 used against Verona on Saturday in the 1-0 win, with Marco Sportiello still in goal and a back four of Alessandro Florenzi, Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez.
The midfield three sees Yacine Adli replace the injured Rade Krunic as the deep-lying player, with the Frenchman making his first start in 346 days flanked by Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders.
In attack, Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao have been given a rest and will start on the bench, thus meaning a trio of Christian Pulisic, Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze from left to right.
The unavailable players are Krunic (muscle problem), Ismael Bennacer (recovering from knee surgery), Pierre Kalulu (muscle problem), Mattia Caldara (ankle surgery), Mike Maignan (muscle problem) and Luka Jovic (not in condition).
Official Milan XI (4-3-3): Sportiello; Florenzi, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo; Loftus-Cheek, Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Okafor, Chukwueze.
Bench: Nava, Mirante, Calabria, Giroud, Leao, Romero, Kjaer, Pellegrino, Pobega, Musah, Bartesaghi.
Official Cagliari XI (4-4-2) Radunovic, Zappa, Wieteske, Dossena, Hatzidiakos, Augello, Nandez, Makoumbou, Sulemana, Petagna, Luvumbo.
Bench: Aresti, Scuffet, Goldaniga, Viola, Deiola, Prati, Oristanio, Pavoletti, Obert, Azzi, Shomurodov, Di Pardo.
Interesting!
Adil must make it count. The ball is in his court!
Adli must prove that he’s worth trusting in….
He will if Krunic could. Why are you all doubting ?
Hopefully all will go well for Adli….. 🤞Regardless of tonight (unless he’s terrible) he should be give a few chances – like others have in the past….
Forza Milan!
Finally,. Adli has got he’s chance! He’s got to grab it preciously ❤️🖤
Well well well….let’s do this.
Alight, let’s go.
Besides Adli, I’d like to see what Chukwueze can do. Let’s see why Milan wanted him so much this summer and why they made him the most expensive signing of the window.
Okafor and Pulisic will score along with a Thiaw header from a set piece. He is due for one
I hope Adli performs very well today. We all do. If he could at least show us glimpses of his true self, it would be great for him especially since Krunic and Isma are all out for a while.
I hope Adli does well.
Though i feel its not his natural position, so its harsh to judge him if it doesn’t go well
What does
Jovic – not in condition mean?
Surely this is the match to start him
Exciting
Luvumbo = Rivaldo fake flopp
Chuckweze should be starting on RW over pulisic all the time.
Pulisic is so off….
Fire this idiot #PioloOut
No Leao no party
Pulisic needs to get off the field!@!!
Wth is up with this static play. Players just don’t move upfront. That falls on pioli. Every time when the other team parks the bus we just play a static game without any off the ball movement. Same thing last season. Horrible to watch.
I am not sure what Chuk is suppposed to be doing. He seems to simply stand on the touch line and has been in Florenzi’s way several times. He is not pressing and not tracking back.
The goal. Puli moves. Okafur moves with him. Good things happen. Yeah it was luck, but situation isn’t there without the movement.
I do expect Puli to grow into the game given the switch in sides.
No chemistry , I want to see a team that can create multiples goal scoring opportunities, not a team playing to cross into the box, where is the creator , visioneer, ….our game plan is so predictable, go through the wingers to cross or through the box to box runs….anything apart from these seems like just a moment of brilliance ..
I agree but feeling a bit more optimistic.
Chuk, Okafur, Puli (b/c left for first time), Adli & Flo are all new additions. Heck even Sportiello is different b/c he cannot pass out of the back like Mike.
So, I hope while you are right now, we grow into a better flow in the second half (we seemed to the last 10 of the first half.
When Okafur is moving off the ball I can see why there is excitement.
Yadli got man handled on their goal, but that is to be expected with his first start. He is defn contributing to the offense when he has people moving to target. He and Reijnders seem to be running into each other on the left-mid a bit (similar to Chuk and Flo on the right wing)
All in all I hope to see these new folks click a bit more in the second half after Pioli and staff tune them up.
Great to see us growing into the game with 3 full debuts for Milan today.
What a relieve, oka4 and don’t worry goal.
Adli is a Joy to watch. Sadly not for the one person it counts
Agreed, he can actually thread a pass forward.
Not saw about people not happy with the performance but I saw a good first half. Not easy to attack a defensively organized team and create clear chances. But Milan have tried with players mostly arrived in the summer.. Have had over 10 shots in that half. And now Cagliari will open up a bit more and Milan will find more space.
Today Pioli makes a sub before the 60th minute and off goes Adli of course haha
LOOOL ! I knew he would sub Adli ( FOR NO DAMN REASON) !! Pioli is clueless
Adli was getting physically overpowered in the defensive phase. He clearly adds to our offensive phase. Since he came out Cag has not sustained any pressure. This is really great b/c it means he knows he needs to work on that physicality. Really hoping to see more of him spelling Krunic in future games!
Colombo in for Chuk! Great to see him get 20+ minutes too. Glad to see Puli get a rest. Hope to see Bart in for Theo at the 80.
Wow.. that was a nice strike by Oristiano, and superb save by sporttiello.
Today’s game is way better than the last one. The game is more fluid.
I don’t know if they’ve finally known how to mark Leao, he just can’t beat a man. But I also think it’s the set up of Ranieri. Both wings seem to have been nipped against attack.