AC Milan will resume their Serie A campaign against Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on Saturday night, and it will begin a tough stretch betwee now and the World Cup.
Tuttosport (via MilanNews) writes this morning how Milan will play 12 games in a month and a half that will lead to the break for the World Cup in Qatar and the game against Empoli already represents an important crossroads given the various injuries that the squad are battling plus the games against Chelsea (x2) and Juventus.
Pioli will have to juggle various physical problems that have hit Milan in the last few days with Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez definitely out for the trip to Tuscany. The goalkeeper will be replaced by Ciprian Tatarusanu – also in the Champions League – while Fode Ballo-Toure, Sergino Dest and Davide Calabria are all in the running to replace Theo.
Two unknowns are the conditions of Ante Rebic and Divock Origi, who have both been on the sidelines for almost a month and worked individually at Milanello yesterday too, so it could well be that Olivier Giroud is called to work overtime again.
Milan have the desire to bounce back after the undeserved defeat against Napoli and they will have Rafael Leao back which is a boost. However, a busy schedule awaits as the Diavolo will be in London to face Chelsea on Wednesday, before hosting Juve on Saturday 8 and Chelsea on the following Tuesday.
Therefore, Pioli’s choices will also take into consideration the minutes of key players, so Rade Krunic or Tommaso Pobega could be deployed alongside Ismael Bennacer in the double pivot, to give Sandro Tonali more rest.
Why are we being heat by injuries like this, by now atleast Calabria, origi, rebic, Theo could had been fit atleast to start against Chelsea.. this is a disaster..
But the game against Chelsea I prefer the attacking to be this way
——-giroud——
–leao—cdk—messiahs
With empoli the front 4 can be
—-dias—-
Leao–adli—salaemakers
Against Empoli, rest Tonali as a precautionary measure. Play Krunic with Bennacer. Pobega should come in for Bennacer later on. On the other hand, let Vranckx come in, since he’s not registered for UCL. His cameo against Sampdoria was impressive.