AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao has named his starting line-up for the game against Genoa, and continuity is the operative word.
The possibilities of a late surge into the European places are practically zero for Milan, but the Rossoneri must aim to win for two reasons. Firstly because there is an obligation to the fans after such a bad season, and secondly to try build some momentum in view of the Coppa Italia final.
Genoa vs. Milan: Official starting XIs
Emerson Royal and Luka Jovic returned to full training, but the bad news is that Tammy Abraham is injured. Conceicao confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Riccardo Sottil and Warren Bondo have picked up muscle issues too.
The coach has opted to go with the three-man defence again, composed of Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Alex Jimenez ahead of Mike Maignan. Alex Jimenez and Theo Hernandez are once again the wing-backs.
Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders are the midfield double pivot, with Christian Pulisic on the right wing and Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the left either side of the centre-forward Jovic, who is back after missing the Venezia game. It means Rafael Leao starts on the bench.
Official Milan XI (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Jimenez, Fofana, Reijnders, Hernandez; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek; Jovic.
Bench: Sportiello, Torriani; Florenzi, Terracciano, Walker, Thiaw, Bartesaghi, Musah; Leao, Camarda, Chukwueze, Gimenez, Joao Felix.
Official Genoa XI (4-2-3-1): Leali; Norton-Cuffy, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup (c), Masini; Thorsby, Messias, Sabelli; Pinamonti.
Bench: Siegrist, Sommariva, Matturro, Otoa, Sabelli, Bani, Ahanor, Badelj, Kassa, Zanoli, Venturino, Vitinha.
Leao on the bench? Huh?…why?
Keep him fresh(er) for the Bologna double….
He may have picked up a last minute injury for all we know. Regardless, the league match against Bologna is just as meaningless as this match. We can achieve a maximum of 66 points. Currently Juventus (4th), Roma (5th) and Lazio (6th) are tied on 63, with Bologna in 7th on 62 points. For us to finish 4th or 5th, we’d need these teams to all get no more than 2 points (3 in Bologna’s case) from the last three matches. While this is not impossible, it’s highly unlikely. And we’d need to win out. So either you’re playing every game full strength, or packing it in altogether and giving young players experience, and deadwood players some minutes to attract bidders in the summer, and going all in for the Coppa Italia final. So going half and half is senseless.
Because he’s been among the two or three starters not delivering to the needs of the team in the last few matches
Loftus cheek at Lw? Wtf
3-4-2-1, so maybe not so much LW as AM?
Looks like RLC deep next to Fofana, and Reijnders high next to Puli as AMCs behind Jovic. Makes even more sense in the absence of Leao.
I think you are right. Makes more sense
this is not making alot of sense
Pavlovic is a better winger than RLC
He’s probably resting Leao for Friday’s Coppa final against Bologna. Should’ve rest the midfield too but that’s what happens when you waste 100 millions on it and have no adequate replacements for your two starters.
Friday is in Serie A. The Final is on the 14th.
I stand corrected🤝
Coppa final is next Wednesday. Friday is just a Serie A match, and if I were Conceicao I would be playing all of the reserves then. Reaching 5th via the league is like a 1% chance, and maybe we should give Bologna the points so that we can help them finish above Juventus. My late season dream is that Lazio draws or beats Juve this weekend and Roma wins, the standings don’t change in the last two weeks and Juventus is out of the CL!
You’re right, I mixed the date of Coppa.
well probaly but i can’t remember the last time reijnerds got rested for a full game he should get rested to, thats what we pay for having terrible managment and awful signings
This man is playing favorites here. Cos I can’t see why he couldn’t start Chuk in the fight and Pulisic on the left since he wanted to rest Leao. SMH
I’m impressed by Norton-Cuffy so far. Maybe we should consider him for RB…
38th minute and we have first shot on goal. Not by build up but by Theo’s solo effort. We create nothing. It’s all about long balls from defense. Can’t really blame them when we have non existent midfield.
Scoring was an issue when Pioli tried 5-3-2-/3-5-2 a couple of seasons back. We’re just not built for this formation, even if it always helps us defend. Our team is full of wingers, built for a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Other clubs that use 3-4-2-1/3-4-1-2 have more AMs instead of wingers. I don’t thinker has a single winger, TBH, and Atalanta has a couple of AMs that can play on the wing, but are natural AMs. These teams will naturally have a better presence in the middle, because our wingers don’t know how to play centrally and deep.
That’s why I always say we will have a difficult decision to make with Leao if we ever bring in a manager who prefers 3-4-1-2/3-4-2-1. He might need to be sold both from the perspective of him not being able to express a deeper more central role as well as he does as a winger, plus the income to retool other parts of the squad for such a formation.
If we’re unwilling to part with Leao, which would be understandable, then we have to find a way (and coach) to continue with 4-2-3-1/4-3-3.
*I don’t think Inter has a single winger
Anemic.
I’m tired of seeing Leao flop in the box.
I am tired of watching Theo jog, then say he’d like to renew.
I am tired that Reinjders and Fofana are tired.
Given the effort I see today I think I may be more tired than the guys on the pitch at 64 minutes.
SMH
73 min – commentator: “to a man Genoa have out worked AC Milan this evening”
Yep
Tires of that too.
Don’t loose too much sleep. League season is basically over, and it will definitely over if we lose here. The remaining games should feature youngsters like Bartesaghi and Camarda, reserves looking to make a case to remain, and deadwood looking to showcase for potential suitors. But Conceicao will probably keep running out the tired first 11 because he only knows full speed ahead. All of our eggs are in the Coppa Italia basket. Then let’s see what the summer brings.
Indeed.
I expect nothing and I’m still let down.
Frendrup is already playing for us!