Paulo Fonseca wasn’t joking...
After the Champions League victory against Red Star Belgrade, the Portuguese coach vented his frustration at the team for failing to maintain the right attitude for the situation. He had warned that he was ready to field players from Milan Futuro if necessary. And tonight, against Genoa, that’s exactly what he’ll do...
Fonseca's Exclusions...
This morning, Corriere della Sera revisited the events of the week. First, the crucial win in Europe, followed by Fonseca’s outburst, which he attempted to explain yesterday during a press conference. The coach emphasized that his remarks were primarily directed at the team's unsuitable attitude. While he did not directly name the players in question, it is widely understood who the Portuguese manager was referring to. He also mentioned having private one-on-one discussions with certain individuals after the Champions League match.
The exclusions in tonight’s starting lineup are clear: both Theo Hernandez and captain Davide Calabria are expected to begin the game on the bench. Alongside them, Fikayo Tomori has also been left out yet again, having now officially lost his spot as a starter.
Fonseca's Milan Looking to the 'Futuro' squad
As highlighted by Corriere della Sera this morning, Fonseca is backing his words with action, deciding to start a couple of players from Milan Futuro. Replacing Theo Hernandez will be young Spanish fullback Alex Jimenez, also signed from Real Madrid. At the beginning of the season, Jimenez was labeled by Ibrahimovic as Theo’s understudy, but until now, he hasn’t played a single minute with the first team, despite consistently dominating in Serie C matches.
Further up the pitch, due to significant absences—Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, and Musah—the Rossoneri coach is expected to rely on Mattia Liberali. The class of 2007 talent impressed during the summer preseason and will now make his starting debut in a critical Serie A match, one in which the club will celebrate its 125th anniversary.
