AC Milan are set to host Juventus on November 23 at 6:00 PM CET at the San Siro stadium.
For this reason, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport in today’s edition, the Portuguese coach is already working on some specific tactical moves to deploy against Thiago Motta’s Juventus.
Milan - Juventus, Fonseca considers strengthening the midfield
In fact, Fonseca had already employed surprise tactics in the derby (fielding two strikers, Álvaro Morata alongside Tammy Abraham), showed tactical ingenuity against Real Madrid (using Yunus Musah to support Emerson Royal against Vinícius Júnior), and adjusted his team, despite absences and suspensions, against Napoli.
It’s clear that the coach is no stranger to dramatic solutions to address issues when things aren’t going as planned.
Before the international break, Milan conceded three goals to Cagliari, and it could have been five if two goals hadn’t been disallowed by the VAR.
Fonseca's team remains too vulnerable and fragile.
For Milan - Juventus, according to the national sports daily, Fonseca is reportedly considering a shift to a three-man midfield.
Alongside Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek would bring muscle, strength, and dynamism.
Loftus-Cheek, who so far has had an underwhelming season, in stark contrast to his performances last year, could earn a starting spot and a chance to regain the coach’s trust.
Fonseca hopes the former Chelsea player will repay that trust with a strong performance. If Loftus-Cheek does play in midfield, Christian Pulisic would return to the right-wing position, leaving Morata as the lone striker.
Loftus-Cheek’s attributes make him an ideal fit for a game like Milan-Juventus
Milan must attack Thiago Motta's team while ensuring their defence remains solid. His box-to-box role could see him supporting the defensive line while using his physicality in counter-attacks and offensive runs.
Being one of the few players still at Milanello during the international break, excluded from national team duties, may prove to be an advantage this time around.
