AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri has named the starting XI for the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final against Napoli.
Milan are hoping to defend their Super Cup crown after winning the trophy back in January, but they come into the match with some injury issues. Matteo Gabbia is out with a knee problem, Santiago Gimenez is heading for ankle surgery, while Rafael Leao has not been risked.
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Napoli vs. AC Milan: Official starting XIs
Earlier today, it was reported by Sky that Allegri had decided to make a couple of late changes, with Luka Modric and Davide Bartesaghi to be rested for Ardon Jashari and Pervis Estupinan. Both of those alterations have now been confirmed.
Milan have a three-man defence of Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic ahead of the goalkeeper and captain Mike Maignan, given the absence of Gabbia. Alexis Saelemaekers will be the right wing-back as usual.
The midfield trio features Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Adrien Rabiot either side of Jashari, with Christopher Nkunku and Christian Pulisic the pairing up front, and no natural forward to bring on. The bench therefore is loaded with Milan Futuro players.
Official Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Jashari, Rabiot, Estupinan; Pulisic, Nkunku.
Bench: Terracciano, Torriani, Odogu, Dutu, Athekame, Bartesaghi, Modric, Fofana, Ricci, Sala, Borsani, Ibrahimovic.
Official Napoli XI (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Rrahmani; Politano, Elmas, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Hojlund.
Bench: Contini, Ferrante, Gutierrez, Buongiorno, Lukaku, Olivera, Vergara, Lucca, Mazzocchi, Beukema, Marianucci, Ambrosino, Noa Lang, Baridò, De Chiara.
No Leao, no Modric, yes Estupidian.
Not great.
Our vaunted park the bus defense is starting to leak goals. Since we don’t score, it means that our “title challenge” is going to start to falter.
2 of the most conservative coaches in the world.
Remember when Milan v Napoli was 2 attacking teams?
Dreadful stuff. Stone age. We’ll get creamed in Europe playing this way.
Certainly not going to attract new fans
Two summers ago I wanted Maresca, De Zerbi or Farioli. Last summer I wanted De Zerbi or Farioli (too late for Maresca who had moved to Chelsea and is now rumored to be taking over at City if Guardiola leaves). We got Allegri. He’ll get us back into the CL and hopefully when his contract is up they’ll progress to a more exciting coach.
Yeah I’d have taken De Serbia too. Spalletti would have been a great option also
😀 “2 of the most conservative coaches in the world”
2nd half Mourinho and former Norwegian international coach Egil Drillo Olsen should manage each team 😀
Thankfully I’ll never have to watch that game
😀 Glad I wont have to watch it either SJF. Drillo is probably the worst of the lot as he was notorious for parking a 11 player bus throughout the matches in the 1990ies.
What is loftus cheek is doing in the field is he second referee ?
2-0. Game probably over. Oh well. 10 days rest until the next Serie A game.
De Winter in this season is not what we need. Maybe next season he will step up but I’m not very optimistic about him
De winter v Hojlund says it all.
We sold our best CB Thiaw and brought in De Winter with no other options at CB.
Napoli signed Hoijlunds who we needed more as they have Lukaku and Lucca.
Also I have a feeling Tiji would have been more useful than RLC or Ricci or Jashari in such games