AC Milan must dust themselves down after their Europa League exit against Roma and focus on the derby against Inter on Monday night. Some team news has arrived from Milanello today.
Peppe Di Stefano spoke to Sky (via MilanNews) and gave some updates on the potential line-up for Monday’s derby against Inter, starting with almost obligatory choices in the defensive department.
The suspended Malick Thiaw and the injured Pierre Kalulu and Simon Kjaer will all miss out, so in front of Mike Maignan it seems certain that the back four will be Davide Calabria, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez.
There is some news in the middle of the pitch where Tijjani Reijnders will return from the first minute, then Yacine Adli and Yunus Musah are competing for the other starting spot in the double pivot.
Pioli’s biggest doubts are in attack. Olivier Giroud is not at his best, while Luka Jovic is in better shape and therefore the two are in the running to start from the first minute as the centre-forward.
As the two legs against Roma showed, it is difficult to keep Samuel Chukwueze out. Either Christian Pulisic or Ruben Loftus-Cheek will make way, but if the Englishman is out then the American will act as an attacking midfielder. On the left it will be Rafael Leao.
After what happened in Europa League, Adli aint playing for the rest of the season lol. I’d be surprised..I hope I am tho
Nothing to lose . Pioli will be out at the end of season confirmed by fabrizio romano. I dont know if pioli serious or not at the remaining match in serie A
Defend and counter. Don’t press inter because we don’t press as a team. Sit deep and hit in the counter with pace.
That means Leao, Okafor, Chuk and Puli/RLC. Midfield orb Reijnders and Adli.
The almighty Pioli will play his unfruitful football then give a sexy post match interview.
You have said it all. This is exactly what is in my mind. Imagine Inter reserving all their energy and players just to beat us at the Derby and use us to win Scudeto. So shameful for us.
——‐—————-Maignan——————
Calabria—–Simic——Tomori—–Theo
-‐————–RLC———–Reijnders——-
Chucky————-Pulisic————-Leao
‐———————–Giroud——————
RLC or Musah still getting deployed in the double pivot position next to Tijji is beyond absurdity. This is how Pioli portrays himself as a stubborn and ridiculous person. He will keep doing something that clearly does not work just to prove that he is right and the rest is wrong. And that “something” that does not work does so much harm to the team’s results. He does not care though. Wow.