AC Milan are in Serie A action away against Udinese tonight, and Sergio Conceicao has a new tactical solution in mind.
Given Milan are ninth in the table and fourth place in nine points away, excitement has dwindled regarding the season finale. Conceicao’s own fate seems to be marked as virtually every major source is in agreement that he will leave the Rossoneri, with another revolution plotted.
The predicted starting XIs
The injury absentees are Ruben Loftus-Cheek (appendix) and Emerson Royal (calf), while Kyle Walker fractured his elbow and it required surgery meaning he will not make the trip, and Santiago Gimenez will miss out after taking a bang to his hip from David De Gea.
Walker’s absence seems to have led to a change in plan. La Gazzetta dello Sport predict a three-man defence with Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic ahead of Mike Maignan.
Alex Jimenez and Theo Hernandez will thus be pushed up to play wing-back, with Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders down as a midfield double pivot.
The front three will see Christian Pulisic on the left wing and Rafael Leao on the opposite flank, either side of Tammy Abraham.
Predicted Milan XI (3-4-3): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Jimenez, Fofana, Reijnders, Theo Hernandez; Pulisic, Abraham, Leao.
Predicted Udinese XI (3-5-1-1): Okoye; Kristensen, Bijol, Solet; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Payero, Kamara; Atta; Lucca.
