AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has named a strong starting line-up for the preseason friendly against Wolfsberger in Austria tonight.
As preparations for the 2022-23 season continue with many players at different stages of condition given their staggered returns from vacation, Pioli has named his strongest defence with Mike Maignan protected by Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu and Theo Hernandez.
Ismael Bennacer and Rade Krunic are the double pivot with Alexis Saelemaekers wide on the right and Rafael Leao on the opposite flank. Yacine Adli will once again be given the nod as the attacking midfielder behind Ante Rebic who will lead the line in Olivier Giroud’s absence.
Wolfsberger – coached by Robin Dutt – finished fourth in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and should be a good test therefore, just as FC Köln and ZTE were.
Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer, Krunic; Saelemaekers, Adli, Leao; Rebic.
Bench: Tatarusanu, Mirante, Ballo-Touré, Tonali, Brahim Diaz, Lazetic, Florenzi, Messias, Gabbia, Brescianini.
Official Wolfsberger XI (3-5-2): Gutlbauer; Novak, Baumgartner, Lochosvili; Scherzer, Leitgeb, Omic, Veratschnig, Boakye; Vizinger, Vergos.
Bench: Bonmann, Skubi, Schiffer, Piesinger, Gugganig, Jasic, Kerschbaumer, Taferner, Anzolin, Ballo, Rocher, Baribo, Tauchhammer, Muller.
No Giroud? Well well well. As I mentioned in the other piece about Giroud “training away from squad” I suspect he has an injury and not load management. This leaves us with zero true strikers
Rebic is fine , the days of “defined” roles are over, if you watched the game Theo was playing way forward like he does on the French Nat’l team. Granted, Giroud is a traditional 9 and plays in the box. But Rebic was playing almost as 10/CAM. With the players speed and size there is a lot of versatility, this confuses the defense to get mismatches, W-Berg right back had his hands full with Theo and Leao on the attack ……Forza