Max Allegri is betting everything on his super midfield. With Leao still out and expected to miss Saturday’s match in Udine before returning on the 28th at San Siro against Napoli, the ex Juventus coach will field four of his main men in the middle of the park.
That includes new signing Adrien Rabiot, who landed at Milanello on Thursday morning and will start right away. The opponent is Bologna, who last May beat Milan in the Coppa Italia final, knocking the Rossoneri out of European competitions. At Milanello and among the old guard, there is a strong desire for revenge. Allegri, though, is thinking less about the 2024-25 season and more about the opening-day league defeat at San Siro against Cremonese: "We need to bounce back from that loss," said Max. "It won’t be easy because we’re up against a team that has done well in recent years. Thanks to the work of Sartori and Italiano, they’re near the top of the table. We must respect their intensity and speed."
Compared to the games against Cremonese and Lecce, new arrivals Rabiot, Nkunku, and Udogu will feature. "I’m very happy with the squad I have. The club has done a good job, and we have a mix of experienced and young players. Everyone who arrived has raised the level. Rabiot wants to score twelve goals? I’ll settle for eight… We all know the path will be tough, but the goal is to get back into the Champions League next year. The squad has the right number of players for this season: 19 outfield players plus the Under-23 boys. We’re set."
Milan's selections vs Bologna...
Leao, as said, is still out: "The soleus is a tricky muscle, and with a strain or pull you need to be cautious." Pulisic is not fully fit after national team duty and travel across the ocean. The 58-year-old Italian coach plans to keep him as a joker off the bench if the match requires a change of pace. This is why, in midfield, Fofana and Rabiot will flank playmaker Modric, with Loftus-Cheek as attacking midfielder behind striker Gimenez. Last May, against Bologna in the league, Gimenez scored a brace. He now badly needs a goal to shake off both a difficult start to the season and transfer rumors that linked him with a move away from Milanello. "Santi will have a great season," predicted Allegri. On Nkunku, he explained: "He’s had two good weeks of training with us after spending the summer working separately at Chelsea. He has 25-30 minutes in his legs." Too little to hope for a start.
Management and training camp
Last night the team stayed in retreat at Milanello, where they trained in the afternoon. At lunch, Allegri was visited by CEO Furlani and sporting director Tare, with whom he reviewed the situation after the international break. Max expects the team to relaunch strongly, especially improving their defensive phase: “What I like a lot is that we’re working well and we want to get better. I sense responsibility toward the shirt, the club, and the fans from everyone. We need balance and cohesion, since we changed ten players. I’m confident about that because I see the right attitude to sacrifice during the week. With Vlahovic we would have certainly finished top four? It’s impossible to say ‘with him you win or lose.’ Football has too many variables. The important thing is to handle the unexpected. There are no guaranteed wins. The only certainty is the work to be done.”
Are there doubts for Milan coach Allegri before the match against Bologna?
Before Milan-Bologna, in the afternoon, Allegri’s horse Mr Darcy will return to racing at Capannelle on the first Sunday of the meet. The Milan coach will get updates on Mr Darcy’s performance, but his thoughts are mainly on his team. This morning they held the final training session, with set-piece drills. The only doubt remains in defense, with Pavlovic ahead of De Winter, though the latter has been tested in recent days. Max wants everyone on the bench to stay ready: "Before there were three substitutions, now there are five. Changes are decisive because in the last half hour they decide the result."
Here are the possible formations of both sides:
AC Milan:
3-5-1-1: Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Estupinan; Loftus-Cheek; Gimenez.
Bologna:
4-2-3-1: Skorupski; Miranda, Lucumi, Vitik, Zortea; Freuler, Ferguson; Cambiaghi, Odgaard, Orsolini; Castro.
Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport
