While AC Milan continue to deal with injury issues, Stefano Pioli will be forced to shuffle his pack against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Rossoneri go into the final game of the group stage in third place in Group B knowing that we must realistically win against the Merseyside giants and hope that the result between Porto and Atletico Madrid goes our way.
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It’s going to take a lot to go in our favour for us to march on, but we’re still in the hunt and while we battle fresh injury concerns, Milan will have to rely on players stepping up and delivering when we need it most.
Kalulu to start at right-back, Krunic and Messias step in to Milan attack
Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, Samu Castillejo, Ante Rebic, Olivier Giroud and Pietro Pellegri are all expected to miss out, while there is real doubt over Rafael Leao’s availability after he picked up a knock at the weekend too.
That really does limit Pioli’s options, but Milan do have strength in depth this season and although it’s far from our strongest starting XI, there is enough quality in the side below to be competitive at the very least.
Pierre Kalulu could start at right-back ahead of Alessandro Florenzi, with his pace and strength potentially decisive in trying to limit Liverpool’s threat down their left flank.
Theo Hernandez has been struggling with a cold this week and so it’s hoped that can be at 100% for this game as we’ll need him in top form if we’re to take something from the clash.
In midfield, Sandro Tonali and Franck Kessie arguably give us the most certainty in that area of the pitch, offering grit, physicality, technical quality and commitment in the heart of the side, and that will be a crucial battle as we look to try and control the tempo and nullify Liverpool’s pressing.
Given the list of absentees noted above, Milan are weakened in attack in particular, with Messias Junior and Rade Krunic expected to start alongside Brahim Diaz in the attacking trident behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Milan do look limited on paper, but as Messias showed against Atleti, anything can happen in the Champions League and against all the odds, the Rossoneri could yet find themselves in the mix to advance beyond the group and into the knockout stage of the competition in what would be a significant achievement.
Probable MILAN vs Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Tomori, Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Messias, Diaz, Krunic; Ibrahimovic