Ruben Amorim, during yesterday's training session, mixed things up a little regarding the lineup that will take the field this evening at 6 p.m. against Atalanta. The Portuguese coach paired up players and alternated them within a fluid playing system that can be interpreted as a 3-4-2-1, 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1, depending on the positions the players take up on the pitch.
Starting with the certainties, in defence there will be the return of Mario Gila to the starting lineup, having remained on the bench for the entire match against Salzburg on Thursday. Alongside him will be Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic, while on the left flank Diego Moreira and Pervis Estupinan were alternated, both of whom also played no minutes in the victorious trip to Austria.
The bench awaits Bartesaghi, with Amorim having to work on managing his players' energy levels. In midfield, Luka Modric will return to the starting lineup, where he will be protected by Yunus Musah and the indispensable Adrien Rabiot of this early part of the season, as pointed out via Tuttosport in this morning's print edition.
The out-and-out attacking players assured of a starting place are Samuel Chukwueze and Gonçalo Ramos (who rediscovered his scoring touch in competitive matches against Salzburg), while Alphadjo Cisse (the absolute star in Salzburg with a hat-trick) and Christian Pulisic are competing for the final spot.
Amorim will reveal his choices only during the tactical meeting that will take place shortly before the team's departure from the Melià Hotel for San Siro, which is expected to take place at around 6 p.m (Italy's time).
Following the draw against Sassuolo, Milan are also being called upon to bounce back in the league, where they have won against Atalanta in only two of the last fifteen seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23).
