AC Milan’s European campaign resumes tonight when they take on Slovan Bratislava in the Slovakian capital, and Paulo Fonseca has apparently decided on his team.
The pressure has been dialled up a bit after Milan were booed off the field following a boring 0-0 draw against Juventus on Saturday that leaves them 10 points off top spot in Serie A.
However, Europe brings a difference complexion and the target for Fonseca’s side has to be to win the remaining four games in the league phase. That would likely be enough to get them a place in the top eight and thus direct access to the last 16.
The predicted line-up
In terms of absences, the players that will not be available are strikers Alvaro Morata (suspended) and Luka Jovic (not in the UCL squad list) plus midfielder Ismael Bennacer and defender Alessandro Florenzi.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) reports that Mike Maignan will have a defensive line of Davide Calabria, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez ahead of him. Emerson Royal is in doubt due to an ankle knock.
The midfield double pivot is down as Tijjani Reijnders and Youssouf Fofana again, while Samuel Chukwueze, Christian Pulisic and Noah Okafor should be the attacking trident behind the centre-forward Tammy Abraham.
The bench will therefore feature the likes of Rafael Leao, Francesco Camarda, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah. The only doubt seems to be Gabbia vs. Thiaw in defence.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Theo; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Abraham.
Well actually I believe Okafor should be playing more (I’d almost make him a starter) but there’s very little point in benching Leao at this point.
The rapper’s been frustrating me to death and I quite like Okafor but the team’s progress and stability is more important so if Leao is playing well, behaving and fit to play, in a dedicated time when the team must win and you as the coach is in danger, then it’s better Leao and your strongest players starts.
I’d start Okafor up from tho. He may score more goals there than the actual centre forwards.
I don’t really care who will start, but if we end up with anything less than a win against Slovan Bratislava, let’s not wait for the next 3 serie A games, leave Fonseca in Slovakia and go home without him.
It’ll be so refreshing to have Calabria back there. Compared to Royal, he’s Cafu and Maldini combined.
Pioli would do this type of sh*t – wholesale changes, get nowhere fast, then throw in the A team in the last 20mns and still get nowhere fast.
Instead of starting strong, taking a sizable lead, then taking out the starters. not sure how many times we need to start Okafor to realize he’s an impact sub. Not starter.
But hey, if the formula says Fonseca knows what he’s doing, it must be true.