AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has named an unchanged starting line-up for the game against Udinese tonight compared to the side that beat Roma last weekend.
Pioli has opted to retain his faith in the centre-back pairing of Simon Kjaer and Matteo Gabbia who did a good job of keeping Roma quiet six days ago, while Davide Calabria and Theo Hernandez are the full-backs that complete the back four in front of Mike Maignan.
A double pivot is expected in midfield with Yacine Adli looking to build on his first goal against the Giallorossi and Tijjani Reijnders affirming his status as one of the players the manager relies upon the most.
Christian Pulisic will be on the right wing with Rafael Leao on the opposite flank, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in a more advanced midfield position. Olivier Giroud has recovered fully from the flu and will lead the line.
Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, Theo; Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud.
Bench: Sportiello, Mirante, Jovic, Okafor, Romero, Terracciano, Traore, Jimenez, Musah, Simic, Zeroli.
Official Udinese XI (3-5-1-1):Okoye; Ferreira, Perez, Kristensen; Festy, Lovric, Walace, Samardzic, Kamara; Pereyra; Lucca.
Bench: Silvestri, Padelli, Masina, Zarraga, Success, Tikvic, Ehizibue, Camara, Brenner, Thauvin, Kabasele, Giannetti, Payero, Zemura.
Poor Jovic, he finally finds some form and is the highest scoring serie A player in all comps for December(5 goals).
Hardly seen him in January
On the top of that, Giroud missed a few days this week because of the flu and Pioli still doesn’t rotate and reward a player who has been in good form.
It’s a pity as confidence is a delicate thing. Looked like he had really found some, and lord knows we need a striker
Giroud played really well in the Roma game, so I can’t see him getting benched.
This is true and Jovic was poor in the cup (like several others).
In our situation with one 37yo striker, you would think keeping Jovic good run of form would be a priority
Udinese is in form boys. Let’s try to get three points. Park the bus if you have to and counter because I know that’s what they’ll be doing lol
Udinese, Atalanta and Inter, Pioli’s bogey clubs. It’s going to be a tough match.
Effort, confidence and quality please guys!
Let’s put them to the sword!
Pioli is obsessed wirh Giroud in the lineup. Hopping to see both Jovic and Okafor given enough minutes later in the game
Yeah I hope so too. We need to get them firing
Game suspended (for now)! Racist insults towards Mike Maignan by Udinese fans… why am I not surprised?
Very poor by fans who have several black players on their team.
Its probably a minority responsible.
I think they should just clear out that stand and continue on
When a game is interrupted in this fashion, the side’s whose fans are guilty of it should result in a forfeit. Absolutely disgusting behavior! Udinese should play to an empty home stadium for now on for the rest of the season!
The game is back on, but I am NOT happy about this in the slightest. There needs to be an investigation.
Milan have been incredibly wasteful in final third. Udinese have had several chances apart from their goal. Very scrappy game.
Leao has been anonymous. Id bring on okafor at half time
Leao needs to step up now.
Man they’re marking Leao really tight like in a basketball game. His marker is barely a couple yards away from him entire 1st half .
Leao is not in this one. Okafor for Leao at the 60th.
Yea I’m thinking Okafor is perfect for this kind of team.
Leao and Giroud are knackered. They don’t even put any effort. Jovic needs to start for now on.
Luka Jovic should have played. And again he bails us out. I like Pioli I defend the guy, but come on man… him sitting on the bench until the 75th minute isn’t right.
Difficult to see what Leao brings to this team at the moment…and what kind of substitution is Okafor for Reijnders? ffs
Reijnders had really been horrible today and that was a disastrous defense by Theo. Somebody also needs to tell Pulisic to stop always trying to dribble when he can just cross the damn ball. And Giroud is back to his nonsense flick passes. Jeez!
Piece of evidence 1,214,261 submitted for case that Luka Jovic should start games for now on. SMH.
Hahaha. I’m 100% with you on that.
Usual ‘no plan b’ Pioli nonsense
3-2 Milan. Okafor.
Unbelievable. I said Udinese always plays as if they are trying to win a trophy against us and they did it again, but then we had the better of them.
Tough side. Everytime. Going all out with the attack with Okafor and Jovic paid off… and the two are far more productive than Leao and Giroud.
Finally we shake off this curse in the most dramatic way.
That’s right. Sometimes you just gotta grind it out. Nice finish Okafor!!! Do it for Mike at least 😁
Udinese is always trouble. Especially when we play in their stadium.
We are cursed against this team, and finally that curse is broken. Okafor smashed that one in.