AC Milan will take to the pitch this evening at the Bentegodi with no fewer than eight players out due to injury: Alessandro Florenzi, Ismael Bennacer, Luka Jovic, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Noah Okafor, and Alvaro Morata.
The Spaniard is the latest unfortunate addition to this list, missing the trip to Verona due to tonsillitis. With so many absences, the lineup choices are almost forced, yet once again, Paulo Fonseca manages to surprise everyone.
According to this morning's La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Portuguese coach is once again set to confirm Alex Jimenez on the left in place of Theo Hernandez, who will start on the bench as he did against Genoa last Sunday. The most unexpected change, however, is undoubtedly the inclusion of Filippo Terracciano in the starting lineup. The former Verona player will pair up in midfield with Youssouf Fofana, while Tijjani Reijnders will be pushed forward to play as an attacking midfielder.
Fonseca relies on the youth...
Compared to the match against Genoa a few days ago, Mattia Liberali will not start, beginning instead on the bench alongside Francesco Camarda. Supporting Fonseca are other young talents, including goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani and midfielder Kevin Zeroli, who has recovered from a thigh issue in recent weeks.
Speaking of youth, Jimenez’s confirmation is well-earned after his performance against Genoa, where he displayed composure on the ball, boldness, and strong chemistry with Rafael Leao.
