AC Milan face a crunch encounter with Atalanta on Sunday night as we must win to be sure of securing a Champions League qualification spot.
The Rossoneri missed their big opportunity last weekend as we failed to beat Cagliari at home, which in turn would have meant that we were back at Europe’s top table next season.
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After that goalless draw, we’re now in need of a victory in the season finale to avoid any drama and having to rely on results elsewhere, while Atalanta still need to win to secure second place in the Serie A standings.
Given how impressive they’ve been again this season, albeit losing in the Coppa Italia final in midweek, this is going to be a very difficult encounter for Milan, and Stefano Pioli will need to be on point both in terms of his line-up and tactical set-up to ensure we get the three points.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Matteo Gabbia are both ruled out due to injury, while there are no suspensions for Pioli to be concerned with.
After failing to find a breakthrough against Cagliari, it could lead to a shake up in attack with La Gazzetta dello Sport suggesting in their graphic below that Rafael Leao could get the nod to lead the line.
As noted by MilanNews, via Sky Sport Italia, it has been reported that this is what Pioli tried in training on Friday, and that has generally been a big indication as to what he’s gone with in games.
Leao has struggled to prove he is capable of playing as the lone frontman this season, not only in terms of a lack of goals but also having little to no influence on games.
In turn, this is going to be a big call from Pioli if that’s what he goes with, as it will also mean Ante Rebic sits on the bench despite being our second most prolific goalscorer this season.
Brahim Diaz could get a starting berth for the third game running as he will support Leao along with Hakan Calhanoglu and Alexis Saelemaekers, while the rest of the side picks itself it seems at this stage when healthy.
The decision between Leao and Rebic really is the big call here, and so it remains to be seen if Pioli’s faith in the former is repaid with a decisive performance in the biggest of moments in the season.
Milan will also have Mario Mandzukic on the bench to give us a focal point if needed, but it’s hoped that whoever the personnel is in the starting XI, it’s enough to get the win and to secure our place in the Champions League next season.
It won’t be easy against an Atalanta side boasting some really dangerous attacking players as we found out in the reverse fixture earlier this season which ended in favour of the Bergamo outfit, and so it’s going to take a special performance from the entire Milan team to get the job done at the second time of asking after stumbling against Cagliari last time out.
