AC Milan travel to face Genoa in our latest Serie A outing on Monday, and here’s how Sergio Conceicao’s starting line-up could look for the encounter.
The Rossoneri will be looking to make it three consecutive wins across all competitions, as we hope to end the season on a positive note and prepare as best as possible for the Coppa Italia Final later this month.
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While there was good news on the injury front this week as Luka Jovic is expected to feature on Monday night having recovered from a back issue, Conceicao confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Tammy Abraham, Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil had all picked up knocks.
In turn, they could all miss out for this game, but that shouldn’t change too much when it comes to our starting line-up for the clash.
One Milan change, Jovic in for Abraham
Given our improved form over the last two games, Conceicao isn’t expected to change too much as he’ll stick with the 3-4-3 system which has been a key factor in our last two wins, and he’ll be forced into just one change.
Mike Maignan is set to continue between the posts, while a three-man defence consisting of Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic will start in front of him.
The expectation is that it will be a familiar midfield quartet that starts for Milan too, with Alex Jimenez, Youssouf Fofana, Tijjani Reijnders and Theo Hernandez getting the nod, with the two wide players deployed in wing-back roles.
Milan’s one change will likely come up front given Abraham’s injury setback, and with Santiago Gimenez still searching for his best form, it could be Jovic who is preferred to lead the Milan line, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao providing support on either flank.
We’ve seen improved performances and results over the past fortnight or so with this system as it gives us more defensive solidity, while we’ve shown enough quality in the final third to get the desired outcomes.
That said, Jovic will need to step up and make an important contribution up top if he does indeed start ahead of Gimenez, whether that’s through goals or linking our play together as a focal point and bringing others into the game for them to be a threat.
We’ll hope to make it three consecutive clean sheets and secure three more points in our bid to climb the Serie A standings, but it certainly promises to be a difficult assignment as we try to close the gap on the top six.
Predicted AC Milan XI vs Genoa: Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Jimenez, Fofana, Reijnders, Theo; Pulisic, Jovic, Leao.
Image courtesy of La Gazzetta dello Sport.