AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has apparently decided on the starting line-up he will use against Cagliari, and there will be some history made.
There are some injuries for Fonseca to contend with as we outlined in our pre-match preview. Alessandro Florenzi and Ismael Bennacer are recovering from surgery, while Luka Jovic continues to battle back problems and Matteo Gabbia has a calf issue.
Alvaro Morata suffered a head injury in training on Thursday that required him to go to hospital for a CT scan after he collided with Strahinja Pavlovic, meaning he will not be available.
Initially the thought was that Tammy Abraham or maybe Noah Okafor would take his spot, but the boss confirmed that Francesco Camarda will lead the line, getting his first Milan start at 16 years, seven months and 29 days old.
Aside from that, Fonseca should revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation with Samuel Chukwueze and Rafael Leao occupying the wings and Christian Pulisic as the central attacking midfielder.
The midfield double pivot should remain as Tijjani Reijnders and Youssouf Fofana, and the centre-backs are down as Malick Thiaw and Strahinja Pavlovic. Emerson Royal and Theo Hernandez complete the defence ahead of Mike Maignan.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez; Reijnders, Fofana; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Camarda.
Bummer. I’d have like to have seen more of the 532/433 from the RM game.
Mike
Calabria Thiaw Tomorri Theo
Musah Reinjders Fofana
Chuk Camarda Leao
Puli needs a rest.
Give we have a strong start, then get Ok4 in for Leao and RLC in for Fofana at the 60.
Fofana needs the rest and we want Leao to remain fresh.
Bartesaghi for Theo and Jimenez for Calabria at the 70.
Calabria coming back from injury and we want to keep Theo fresh (and out of yellow card trouble)
I’m leaving a slot with the hope Tammy is healthy enough to play 30 at the end and manage Camarda minutes a bit.
Calabria? No thank you. Did you see him in the Real Madrid match? Gave up more chances in 10 minutes than Emerson did the entire match. While he had a help defender inside and still getting beat. He’s done as a RB. I’d rather see Jiminez or Terraciano over him.
The worst defender in Milan’s last 30 years that I’ve witnessed them through…
You virgins just love to hate on the players who actually love the club, don’t you. Emerson has arguably the worst defender in the league this season. But that doesn’t fit your agenda, does it clown boi?
Emerson has been better than Calabria this season so stfu lil bro get a life
The focus on Calabria is because they want to sign a new RB.
It’s a chance for another transfer which is the thing that gets them all excited.
Because all those defenders who never won anything with the club were so much better (in your head).
Start with Musah, instead of C.
Have you ever played football got injured, recovered and return to play. Especially against a team like Madrid. It takes time this is not FiFa.
Looks exactly the same as he did before the injury.
None of the people on this thread (bar maybe very very few and I mean VERY few) have event gotten a sporting injury, recover and then rehab to play.
Ppl were wondering why Pulisic didn’t do better while having the flu for instance. The lack of touch grass in here is astounding.
Ha ha. So true.
Musah handled V Jr not Emerson
I did see him play. It was one of the few mistakes I thought Fonseca made.
While I didn’t play soccer, I did race bikes for many years. As a state champ, I borked a knee in cyclocross (sprained patellar tendon.) In 3 weeks I was back training under a limited load. In 6 weeks I could race the shorter events. It took me 6 month before I could train at load and intensity necessary to be competitive again.
Cycling is simple, even cyclocross. There are no changes of direction, so a rehab like mine is pretty straight forward. Football, on the other hand (foot?), requires not only simply cardio and strength fitness. It requires a high impact, dynamic fitness that is very mental. Athletes commonly report fear in cutting when first return to training because they can “feel” the lack of strength when performing the moves.
I do not understand how Calabria was a solid FB two years ago. We could rely on him to do the job but not to light the world on fire. A year of Pioli’s inversion madness and utterly stubborn jamming players into situations where they don’t fit (see Musah, Calabria, RLC, etc) then an injury.
Calabria is captain. He is home grown. He bleed Milan red for Milan.
Why are we seemingly unwilling to let this guy get back to being the dude who makes us forget the right side of the defense?
“Why are we seemingly unwilling to let this guy get back to being the dude who makes us forget the right side of the defense?”
You said it so brilliantly at the end there
That’s is it bro calabra is finished
‘Done’.
He’s 27 years old.
He’s just come back from injury and was thrown on in the last few minutes with the team exhausted and Real pushing for a goal.
But hey let’s not give a player who has consistently performed for the club over multiple seasons the benefit of the doubt.
That is not true….
Calabara played some good football for Milan. Please don’t write off players bcus they are out of form.
What will u say of caldara. Please respect the man
After Cagliari, we have International break. Fofana gets a 2 week rest, as will Tomori. I don’t see why we cannot play these guys for the full 90.
Also don’t really care much if Christian, Theo, Mike and Tijjani don’t play much during the NT break. They need rest.
Specially Pulisic. Most minutes played for us as an outfield player this season.
Hopefully Pochettino rests Puli again. I am pretty much sure Theo will not play both games.
Unfortunately, this break is a two-legged quarterfinal in the Nations League against Jamaica, so it’s two fairly important competitive matches. I suspect that, unless the USMNT blows out Jamaica in Leg 1, Pulisic is playing most or all of both matches.
Let’s get past the Sardinians, and then pray for 5-0 in Leg 1!
It’s International break after this, Fofana will get the proper rest
Agree with that although I think it’s essential that we keep the midfield a chance to build on the RM game.
Unfortunately that means no rest for Fofana!
I doubt that will work against Cagliari, never imagine Cagliari play open like Real Madrid that will give Leao enough space
Good. Fonseca is not going back to RLC and Okafor, so, we’ll win. And good luck, Camarda, in your first start with the senior team!
Okafor was never the problem, but I hope RLC is finally sold in the winter. I would even welcome Gnoto-RLC swap. Puli can play more as CAM.
Bennacer is also gonna be back soon. 1-2 months until he starts coming of the bench and then showing everyone a great comeback story for once! Midfield more or less is solved.
Ricci, Tomiyasu and ST in the summer.
Strikers you have the range from free to 80+ M: J.David, Konate (Salzburg), Scamacca, Boniface, Joao Pedro, Retegui, Sesko, Openda, Osihmen, Gyokeres. Let’s see what Gerry can do.
I hope retegui join milan
No RLC, no Okafor, that’s good. Forza Camarda!
That’s a strong line happy consistency Forza Milan up Acmilan
Looking forward to this one..
Theo so weak in defense we lost because of him