There is no time for AC Milan to enjoy their 1-0 Champions League win over Napoli because attention has already turned to the game against Bologna on Saturday.
MilanNews write how Stefano Pioli has a dilemma ahead of the game at the Stadio Renato dall’Ara on Saturday at 15:00 CEST, namely whether to deploy rotation in view of the second leg next Tuesday or whether to go all guns blazing given how tight the top four race is.
Milan have an opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League which would bring huge revenues and prestige, but they need wins to stay in the top four after a terrible run of form domestically that is threatening to ensure they don’t play in the competition again next season.
The report adds that Davide Calabria could rest leaving room for one between Alessandro Florenzi and Pierre Kalulu. Malick Thiaw should could in for Simon Kjaer, but Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez seem untouchable.
Rade Krunic should start in midfield but Tommaso Pobega could come in again for Sandro Tonali. Ante Rebic and Divock Origi have not impressed recently, so either Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao dig in for another shift or he trusts them again.
Finally, Brahim Diaz is in form and should start from the first minute in the role of attacking midfielder in place of Ismael Bennacer, while Alexis Saelemaekers may come in on the right.
This is my biggest fear. That we go all in for the CL, don’t win it (can we beat Madrid or City?) and then don’t finish top 4. It’s clear that we don’t have the squad to compete on two fronts this deep into the season.
“can we beat Madrid or City?”
In a one-legged final anything is possible.
To add to this: Leao looked gassed at the end of the game last night. He should be rested, but who can we rely on? Then there is 36 year old Giroud who probably also needs a break. I’d rest one of Tonali and Bennacer, bringing in Pobega to play for one of them, or moving the one who is playing down next to Krunic and Brahim to AMC with Salad on the right. Kjaer should sit for Thiaw. Theo plays every single game, but there is NOBODY to bring in.
no dude
in UCL we focus to go as far as we can, in league if we drop 1 spot to 3rd place its fine as long as we can go to semi final
going to final is like our biggest dream.
and the more we press our player in ucl, the better our gameplay in future. So dont worry so much about players
Best chance for fringe players like cdk, pobega, Adil, etc to be given a chance to be on the 1st 11. Poli needs to trust and give these guys a big chance.
Why is Rebic + Origi the only option? Surely Saelemaekers (left) and CDK (CF) could do a job. Can’t do any worse than those clowns..
Exactly bro. I just wanted to write about this. Slamakers is right footed he will be better on the LW. CDK can be a CF and Pobega is more attacking minded mid so he can be the AM. Give Vranks a chanse in the double pivot mid as well. In the end if we dont get 3points with Bologna it’s still not the end since we have 8more games in the league. In the CL if we don’t go thru we loose big money. At this moment the CL should be a priority. Also if you tire the players to much they wont perform neither in CL and neither in Seria A. Its better to rotate with Bologna period.
Origi playing shouldn’t be an option at all!!! It’s worse than playing with 10 men.
Its time for CDK and Adli to shine.
Adli need to defend more though, he moves like a trequeista, not defending much while only waiting in with the ball at front
Really? Where are you seeing this? Preseason? Do you watch the training sessions?
Pioli should start the best 11.
Bologna ain’t no joke.
Under Motta they ve been playing very good football. They are only 9 points behind us on the table.
We neither have the bench to rotate nor we are in position to take risks. We have problems scoring wit our best 11 out there.
A small changes like Thiaw for Kjaer and Kalulu for Calabria are OK, but none of that nonsense about Adli, CDK, Vranckx, Pobega, Rebic Origi.
No experimenting
Pobega as an AM is a bad idea.. he does not have the vision of an AM… I think Adli should play as an AM..
Florenzi Thiaw Tomori Theo
Krunic Pobega
Adli
Messias Salad
CDK
This lineup would loose heavily…
Literally no depth on this team….
Might as well start the starters and keep fingers crossed that they get an early goal and can then play keep away for 60 minutes
start strongest 11 for the first half. Try and get 1 goal or 2. Then rest leao, giroud, tonali, bennacer for UCL
My proposal to pioli would be:
Maignan – Florenzi – Thiaw – Tomori – Kalulu – Pobega – Tonali – Saelemaekers – Diaz – Rebic – CDK
Let’s go!