AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has made three changes to the starting line-up that beat Lazio on Saturday for tonight’s game against Borussia Dortmund.
There is an alteration in defence where Malick Thiaw comes back into the team at Simon Kjaer’s expense, joining Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez in forming the back four in front of Mike Maignan.
The other two changes are in midfield where Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Rade Krunic’s injury leave the department a bit thin on the ground. Yunus Musah and Tommaso Pobega come in for Yacine Adli and Loftus-Cheek, with Tijjani Reijnders keeping his spot.
The attacking trio remains as it was in the Lazio game with Christian Pulisic the right winger, Rafael Leao on the opposite flank and Olivier Giroud up front.
Official Milan XI (4-3-3): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Musah, Reijnders, Pobega; Pulisic, Giroud, Leao.
Bench: Sportiello; Mirante, Adli, Jovic, Okafor, Chukwueze, Kjaer, Florenzi, Bartesaghi.
Official Dortmund XI (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ozcan, Emre Can; Malen, Reus, Brandt; Fullkrug.
Bench: Meyer, Lotka, Reyna, Nmecha, Haller, Wolf, Moukoko, Sule, Adeyemi, Bynoe-Gittens.
Let’s make this count, first win rather than a draw.
So basically Pioli doesn’t trust Adli against a proper team for whatever reason. Could be his lack of defence. But the fact that he would prefer to start someone who has never started in the DM role for the team in a big game over someone who has been playing the last few games while gelling with the team is quite telling imo. There’s a clear trust issue between Pioli and Adli. I would think this is a riskier lineup. Both Pobega and Musah have had limited minutes this season..Adli has more. This is quite frustrating
😒
Sorry bud. But I dont get if Adli is now gelling with the team why play a completely different player at the DM 🤷♂️
I think it is wise not to start Adli, he has barely played an hour in 2 games, and nothing in a year. It’s important he is integrated and given playing time, BUT it could be very detrimental to his confidence to get torn apart at this level.
I think Calabria as DM with Florenzi in good form at RB, then we could have Reijnders and Musah playing their best positions.
Also I don’t think Giroud should be starting.
We most likely have to play on the counter given we are away from home and our midfield is weak
Nice to go back to this to see how it turned out
Calabria as DM??? Lol no thanks
I fear Slowbega will cost us three points today
And he did
Pobega smh, I’ll never understand what he sees in him. He can’t pass, barrels into people and is so slow. Pioli clearly has a vendetta against Adli.
Now the problem is not Pioli being Krunic lover like most of you say it, now it’s “I’ll never understand what he sees in him (Pobega)” like Pobega has been a constant starter this season or what exactly?
Exactly, he hasn’t been a constant starter. So why now? Especially after the past two games which were wins.
Is this Rade? Why do you love Pioli so much?
No I don’t love Pioli so much and I don’t hate him so much but we must not criticise every of his decisions and he’s not close to the best coach a fan can ask for his team, at the same time he’s not the worst coach.
I’m not for Pioli and I’m not against Pioli.
I believe I have answered you..
Now it’s my turn to ask, WHY DO YOU HATE PIOLI SO MUCH?
Hahaha also ask him why he hates Krunic too much too. I’ll go grab the popcorn 🍿🍿🍿
Pioli wants more “physicality” in midfield against Dortmund which I get…I suppose. It’s just a pity Pobega is the one called upon to provide it. I haven’t seen such an ungainly player in a Milan shirt in a long time.
Funny thing here is that from the top of my head you kinda have a constant vendetta against several of our own players, pobega, calabria and krunic to name a few.
Hey stalker, I actually like Calabria, never said anything bad about him ever. Pobega just is a low quality player, he’s a cup player, I don’t hate him, I just don’t rate him. Krunic is a bum and should never be a 90min undroppable starter on any team that wants to be successful. Stop being a sheep. You can support a team and not blindly support every stupid decision a coach makes.
How the hell am i a stalker i rarely replies to your comments but its pretty clear what i said as your comments is up there for all to see.
You have argued often that calabria should be benched and florenzi should start instead as he cant defend according to you.
I dont think krunic should be a starter either but he nevertheless should be shown respect by the fans,
I dont support every decision that the coach makes so dont see how im a sheep just ebcause i said what i said but guess i hit a nerve.
I never said Calabria can’t defend. I commented on how Florenzi has stepped up since preseason. Like I said I actually like Calabria. Why do you always come to defend Pioli like a white knight? Stalker weirdo
Im not a white knight and also disagree with some hof his decisions but i just express my views. Anyways if you say so in regard of calabria ill take your word on it and must have mixed you up with someone else in that regard so on that account i apologies then.
No need to apology, we’re gunna win and all is well. Forza Milan
Ill cheer on that
I still never understand what pioli, some fans here, and the writers of this website see in pobega (considering they always give him good rating despite the awful performance).
Adli certainly looked better and stable bar a couple fouls against lazio.
While pobega on the other hand is just ruining milan’s attack.
He’s slow and can make any link play with theo nor leao.
Whenever he got the ball he always received it with heavy touch that led to dispossession or awkward pass to his team
We have to win this game, and yet pioli approach is the same as when milan faced newcastle, which is not to lose.
Exactly!
Lets hope costacurta was correct in his estimate in recent weeks that if Hummels were to start we would win 😀
2-1 win for ac milan but a draw isnt a bad result either.
Looking more like a disguised 4 – 2 – 3 – 1, with Pobega and Musah as double pivot, and TR playing in a more advanced position.
This might explain the coach’s choice for more physical Tommy Boy and Musah to give more physicality. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t trust Adli, just selected his team per tactics for this specific game plan.
First 20 minutes obvious. Pobega Calabria and Giroud competing for MOTM performance I take bets as well.
So when does the game starts for Milan? We’re 24 minutes in and I don’t see our lads play. So slow, weak and without any idea. Reijnders got yellow so he’s finished as our DM for the night.
Tijjani as DM was a horrible mistake. The team is unrecognisable. Move him back to his position. Pobega can’t progress play at LM.
I am so happy adli is not playing. Some people here would’ve blamed him for this poor midfield display hehehe
Against a fast pace team, pioli plays slowpega. Cant make this up. He looks embarrassing out there, trying to keep up. Its like watching a ferrari race a fiat uno.
Watching pobega run really is embarrassing.
Especially that one time when milan have to go back, and pobega struggled to run back.
And pioli think he’s there for the physicality lol.
Pobega has become borini 2.0 now.
Not really, he ran his ass off because Theo screwed up in our build up.
Exactly what I was saying before and all these morons started crying. He’s in slow motion and where is this “physicality” these parrots were chirping about?
Reijnders needs to play as a mezzala too.
Marvelous stuff from tomorri while we was under sieze.
1. Milan need okafor, they need the speed for the counter attack, it’s not like milan playing against serie a smaller teams who just sit down and defend.
2. If pioli is still insist with pobega, better switch musah to no 6, and push reinjders forward, because milan clearly couldn’t attack with pobega in advance position, he couldn’t even out run the old legs of matt hummels.
When you read Ancelloti “Quiet leadership ‘ you will understand why this man is successful as a coach managing some of the craziest president in world football, Berlusconi, Perez , Abramovic, even PSG….pioli will never last a single season under those identity seeking footballing culture! Imagine Milan playing without any idea for almost 45mins….what a coach!
Can anybody understand what system we are playing or is it just 11 players running around?
Get Giroud off!!! We need runners, Dortmund literally have their centre backs on half way line, we have had some many chanes to on the counter, yet Rafa and Theo etc can’t pass, so wasteful and sloppy!
Pobega is actually ok. I have no idea if Reijnders or Musah are on the pitch?
Dortmund growing in confidence and have had a lot of chances now.
This Dortmund team are there for the taking but we keep f&*king everything up.
Sorry for ranting, just sooo frustrating
Reijnders is wasted as a regista, he needs to play mezzala.
Pobega lol just lol
Put on Adli and Okafor please
Pathetic and weak. No system or game plan. Theo and Leao look uninterested. shat himself and is hiding up in that corner. Midfield is nothing but bunch of headless ball chasers. Disappointing display.
Oh and Newcastle is up two goals against PSG.
So far. First half. The weakest point in the team is Calabria. Pobega is doing great. Musah is fantastic. We need Giroud replaced with Okafor NOW and Pulisic with Chukwa and I dont know what to do with Calabria — we do not have a proper right back.
Hope for the best
Pobega doing great?????
You must be joking.
He has missed every pass. His technic is low level
It’s like we’re watching a trio of Bertolacci-Montolivo-Poli in midfield.
Haha dude what a trio that was, why are the football Gods doing this to us
no offense ted, but seriously !
Let’s be honest. The right wing is as dead as it was last year. Pulisic does nothing except for his lucky goals created by the other forwards. At least Messias created for himself.
Poor Poor Poor
Dortmund were really awful and yet we couldn’t put them down.
Terrible attack
I am pretty mad that Giroud started.
i think we should have brought Chuckwu on for Pobega not Pulisic, Pulisic was linking up the attack and playing quite central.
How the hell are we on 2 points after these 2 games. It’s group of death! Get the finger out
Pioli the tactical genius has done it again!
Consistency was needed in midfield. Adli ought to have retained his spot with Tijjani getting his chance to push up.