AC Milan’s European campaign gets back underway tonight as they welcome Red Star to the San Siro for the sixth game of the Champions League ‘league’ phase.
Milan have been resurgent in the UCL after a difficult start to the campaign, winning their last three in the competition and moving up the table nicely, but tonight’s game against the Serbian champions will not be easy.
Red Star have won 16 of their 17 league games so far this season (drawing the other). They have scored 55 goals and allowed nine, sitting 15 points ahead of their rivals Partizan in second.
The predicted starting line-ups
With that being said, it is imperative that Paulo Fonseca gets the team right. Christian Pulisic and Noah Okafor join Alessandro Florenzi, Ismael Bennacer and Luka Jovic as unavailable players, depleting the attack a bit.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), Mike Maignan should have a back four of Davide Calabria, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez ahead of him.
It should be Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders in the double pivot, with Yunus Musah on the right, Rafael Leao on the left and Ruben Loftus-Cheek behind Alvaro Morata.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Gabbia, Theo; Fofana, Reijnders; Musah, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata.
Predicted Red Star XI (4-2-3-1): Gutesa; Mimovic, Djiga, Spajic, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik; Silas, Maksimovic, Ivanic; Ndiaye.
We will lose with that lineup, it does not work as has been proven well by now
I think we have enough individual quality to go through them at san siro..
But yeah it’s a shît lineup
Anything other than a victory is gonna be big disappointment.
If we do anything other than a win it’s about time to sack Fonseca.
We’re already out of the race for the scudetto, the 4th place and can’t even win at home against Red Star ? GTFO of here.
Only if they hire sarri. Otherwise there’s no point
We’re not suited for Sarri’s possession style, but I’ll take him. There are also other options I’d consider.
The point being that if Fonseca loses or draws again then there is no point for him staying. If the road to UCL is over, might as well allow a new coach to work with the team ASAP.
The management wants possession football. And they keep buying players that are good at transition..
Go figure.
It’s really sad that we’ve spent 200M over two summer to churn the midfield and add attackers, and yet we have no depth in midfield and can’t trust our backup wingers.
A lot of pressure on Leao with no Pulisic or Chuk.
The line-up should be 433
Mike
Calabria, Gabbia, Thiaw, Theo
Musah/RLC, Fofana, Rjeinders
Chuk, Morata, Leao
Seems like a pretty straight forward solution Warren!
I wonder why our coach dislikes easy solutions?
Imagine Pulisic gets injured and we spent a lot of money on Chucky, but somehow he is not the replacement?
I know we are not professional managers but I bet you when Fonseca gets fired, the next manager is likely to use your lineup and it will work.
It is like our ownership, management and coach go out of their way to cause problems for no reason
It’s seems crazy.
Also if you want to play Musah as a RWB.
Why two RBs? Why not do it properly with 3CBs. Play Pavlovic in his preferred LCB role inside Theo as LWB.
Why play Calabria/Emerson and then get them to play as RCB when we have other pls players better suited to the position.
and more to that, imagine being Musah. He’s been asked to play on defense, on the pivot, on the wing. I know the kid is versatile but that’s not to nurture talent. When the kid messes up, ppl crucify him. I get playing musah because he can help balance the team defensively. BUT This is a home game, against lower competition. Chances are we will dominating and playing in their half, where we would need to break down their defense. The requirement sounds more Chuck than Musah. I guess he’s concerned about Calabria and counter attacks
“It is like our ownership, management and coach go out of their way to cause problems for no reason”
This ! I just can’t comprehend
Because they’re ALL incompetent. The incompetent owner hired incompetent managers who hired an incompetent coach and incompetent players.
What is wrong with giving chuku a chance?
Isn’t ucl is the perfect place for him because he gets more space compared to in serie a?
Playing musah as rw as if we’re playing against stronger team and we need to defend.
You are using logic. We don’t use logic at this club
Dont worry. When we are 0-0 in min 70 unable to break their defense because our only creative guy upfront is leao, he’ll throw chuck in.
More like 80th minute, Pioli style.
This moron of a coach is annoying. Why keep starting Musah on the left and bench Chuky, Musah is useless with this failed dribbles all the time.
On the right*
He isnt useless.. (i mean he’s close to useless on the wing lol) . but i think on the double pivot he has done well.
He did well replacing Fofana and is versatile enough to cover whoever plays the DM. He does need to learn to get rid of the ball quicker. But, he’s 21, still an idiot. lol like we all are at that age
He’s sh*tying his pants that explains that line up. He’s scared to death they will eat us in counter attack that’s why he plays with Musah so we can basically play 5 a back. That dude is so scared of getting sacked he will never be able to show identity
No sarry, Ancelotti
I need Ancelotti return….
sure. but you gonna pay his 11M salary?