For a match like the Milan Derby, teams always aim to show their best. On paper, Milan can do that tonight because they can finally field the lineup that was considered the season’s standard starting eleven at the end of the transfer window. Over the past month, numerous injuries have limited Massimiliano Allegri’s options, but today he regains his Wild Horse and can deploy a potentially explosive attacking duo.
What is Rabiot’s quality?
The best news of the week for Allegri arrived on Tuesday: during the return to training at the Milanello Training Center, he reunited with Adrien Rabiot, who is now back with the group and available for tonight’s match. The coach did not hesitate and confirmed in yesterday’s press conference what everyone was already guessing: Rabiot will play.
In fact, as Corriere dello Sport points out this morning, the French midfielder brings quality, quantity, and experience to the midfield, all crucial in a Derby.
Is Rabiot ready to play the Milan derby?
Rabiot will complete a midfield already equipped with the ever-present Luka Modric, playing his first Milan Derby, and Youssouf Fofana, who received encouragement from Allegri after some below-par performances. The biggest novelty, long hoped for by the Milan coach, is in attack: for the first time since Milan faced Bari in the Coppa Italia, the team will start with the Leao-Pulisic duo up front. In the August match, they played together for only 17 minutes due to the Portuguese player’s injury.
They have shared some moments on the pitch since, but never from the start, partly because the American also faced injuries. Tonight will be a very important test, perhaps the toughest but also the most telling for what is hoped to become Milan’s new goal-scoring partnership
