Ruben Amorim has named his first ever starting line-up as AC Milan’s head coach, as they take on Celtic in a preseason friendly.
As we wrote in our pre-match preview last night, this is not exactly the Milan we should expect to see when the first game of the Serie A season rolls around. Moreover, Celtic open their SPL campaign in just over a week, so this is their final big test before getting underway properly.
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The Rossoneri have 12 absentees for the game, the vast majority of which are internationals that are on post-World Cup vacation. Christopher Nkunku and Pietro Terracciano have stayed back in Italy too, due to muscle and hip problems respectively.
Celtic vs. AC Milan: Official starting XIs
As a result of the above, the chance has presented itself for several young players to impress. Amorim has stayed true to his 3-4-2-1 system, but has gone for quite an interesting line-up for the game at Celtic Park.
The young Lorenzo Torriani is in goal, with a three-man defence of Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic ahead of him. New signing Gila will start the game on the bench, therefore.
Zachary Athekame gets the nod at right wing-back, with Davide Bartesaghi on the other flank. Chrisian Comotto – fresh off a renewal until 2031 – and Samuele Ricci are the midfield double pivot that have been chosen from minute one.
Moving to the forward trident, the two attacking midfielders are Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lorenzo Ossola. The man leading the line will be another new face in Andrej Kostic, who arrived from Partizan Belgrade and has impressed in training.
Official Milan XI (3-4-2-1): Torriani; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlović; Athekame, Ricci, Comotto, Bartesaghi; Ossola, Loftus-Cheek; Kostic.
Bench: Pittarella, Bouyer, Odogu, Gila, Vladimirov, F. Terracciano, Fofana, Musah, Vos, Cissè, Guernier, Borsani, Chukwueze, Camarda.
Official Celtic XI (4-3-3): Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Murray, Tierney; McGregor, Engels, McCowan; Forrest, Duran, Tounekti.
Bench: Doohan, Gill, Scales, Balikwisha, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bernardo, McArdle, Montgomery, Hatton, Hatate, Turley, Ralston.
It is quite something reading some Italian names in an AC Milan starting 11, even though it’s just a friendly and a pre-season tryout. Sadly we know how that starting 11 won’t feature any Italians once the season starts.
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Pretty likely that both Gabbia and Bartesaghi will start most games as it stands.
Absolutely correct what’s the point of Milan as far as Italian football is concerned, the answer is no point.
Where can we watch the game
Evaluating Tomori and RLC and/by fielding them?!
Why the actual f@@k is Loftus Cheek still anywhere near wearing the shirt? Absolutely bonkers.
Because, as things stand, he’s probably 4th or 5th choice for a couple of positions but when injuries start to pile up that’s going to be needed. Unless he’s one of them, obviously…
Which he will be, he is always injured, and for Pulisic. Both will become a liability I am sure.
Pav had wonky touches and passes from the start.
I was dropping by the toilet when Celtic scored. What did Pavlovic on the goal?
Tamori and pavlovic can’t play together sadly
I saw the replay, Pavlovic literally passed the ball to a Celtic-attacker when it was supposed to go to Torriani. So we can leave Tomori out of it.
Then the second goal were Ricci was under pressure and tried to pass the ball to Pavlovic, but man was at sleep
Are we dominating the match ? What’s the ball possession like guys ?
we’re at maybe 78% possession, no shots, and down 2-0
Are we sure we don’t want to sell Pav?
Playing from the back with these CBs and Ricci, who is trash, would be problematic.
Torriani should be raising hell w his defence. He’s not.
RLC is the only one looking sharp but still ineffective overall.
Is it just me or Pavlovic is having a very bad day in the office. I never thought of him highly but he somehow managed to show, even if he looks like some slow robot wearing shows two sons zes bigger.
This is concerning, but let’s hope he had too much cevaocici Burek and slivovic and it’s his first match back.
On italian comments some promising early signs, except Ricci, some of the youngsters looks decent, who knows, they may become protagonists
He is but its good to consider this is our first game with a new manager playing with 75% futuro players against Celtic who is late in pre season and ready to go
Only 1 shot for 45 minutes against freakin celtic, good job amorim
Palovic and Rico disasters.
RLC as usual, run around doing nothing.
We need better defenders who can actually defend the ball, and play from the back. Gabbia and Palovic always do basketball type of defending.
Ossola and Comotto move the ball well.
Kostic need better time at the gym.
Well there is a reason Milan bought Gila.
Sure it’s only their first friendly match under new coach and system while most if our starters are missing but Pavlo is being his same old. Reckless and unfocused.
Camarda 2-2. What a turn around with almost a different set of players in the second half.
Ricci out, Fofana musah in and Milan is rolling. Chuk looks awesome. Camarda looks awesome..
Great.. Gila out with a injury 😑
Darn. I hope Gila doesn’t have an issue that’s ongoing. Hopefully nothing serious
Chukwueze have been good, creating alot from wide areas which we missing from our traditional wingbacks