AC Milan and Inter will engage in a derby for the first trophy of the season tonight as they play for the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh.
In his pre-match press conference, Sergio Conceicao admitted that Milan have four or five players that are not in the best condition, and Rafael Leao is not expected to start the game out of precaution despite training with the rest of the team yesterday.
The forward options are stretched given that Alessandro Florenzi, Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze all remained in Italy as they continue their recoveries after quite major problems.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’s predicts XIs
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) predicts that Conceicao will name almost the exact same line-up that he did for the game against Juventus, with a couple of tweaks.
First of all, the system will change slightly from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 with Yunus Musah and Youssouf Fofana acting as the double pivot and Tijjani Reijnders playing as an attacking midfielder.
Then, Christian Pulisic and Alex Jimenez will swap wings, with the American on the left and the Spaniard on the right supporting Alvaro Morata up front.
The rearguard – comparisons of Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez – will remain the same from Friday’s comeback victory.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Tomori, Thiaw, Theo; Musah, Fofana; Jimenez, Reijnders, Pulisic; Morata.
Predicted Inter XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Taremi, Lautaro.
If this is true, then Conceicao is using his braing. It’s a really good sign. We’re not built for 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 is going to be overly negative for us. 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 are the correct choices. I also like how he’s putting Puli at his natural LW in the absence of Leao, and conversely putting Jimenez on the flank he prefers, Reijnders in the hole where he belongs, and starting Musah over a Bennacer still finding form. Good stuff!
I agree, this smacks of being tight and compact…I look at inters team and just think ‘old’….we need to get at them at pace and energy
The best selection for the 4 2 3 1
Formation
Musah and fofana
With this I think pulici and rijnad is at there comfort zone
I miss saleamakes
3 5 2, or 3 4 3 will be the best formation for this team
Tomori. Gabbia thiew (pavlovic)
Jimenez bern. Fofana. Rijnad theo
Morata. Leao
(Abraham). ( Pulisic)
(Camada) (Okafor)
(Jovic)
As we can see that chukwueze is under performaning
This team can role with any formation in a match
3(thiaw/tomori/theo)
4(Musah/bena/fofana/jimenez)
2(Puli/Reijnders)
1(Morata)