In the build up to their first UEFA Champions League match of the season at home to Celtic, AC Milan have been hit by the injury bug at the worst time possible. The full list of players that are injured and their return dates are:
- Ignazio Abate (Return Vs Napoli on Sunday)
- M’ baye Niang (Return vs Napoli on Sunday)
- Ricardo Saponara (Return vs Napoli on Sunday)
- Andrea Poli (Return vs Napoli on Sunday)
- Stephan El Shaarawy (Return in 2-3 weeks time)
- Ricardo Montolivo (20 day return)
- Daniele Bonera (Return in 3 weeks)
- Mattias Silvestre (Return in 3 weeks)
- Kaka ( 3-4 Weeks Return)
- Giampaolo Pazzini (6-7 Weeks return)
- Mattias De Sciglio (1 Month Return)
11 injuries for Milan, including 5 starters, which doesn’t give Massimiliano Allegri a lot of room to rotate his squad for their opening UCL game against Celtic. This is a very important game for Milan and Allegri has stated that 13 Milan primavera players (youth team players) will be in the first team squad for the match. It looks likely that we will be playing a (4-3-1-2) formation like we did during the 2-2 draw against Torino on Sunday. There will need to be some changes to the midfield and trequartista positions though, with Montolivo, Kaka and Poli all out.
Here is the projected lineup that has been rumoured from twitter accounts. (via @MilanDiehards)
(4-3-1-2)
Christian Abbiati
Cristian Zaccardo – Philippe Mexes – Cristian Zapata – Kevin Constant
Antonio Nocerino – Nigel De Jong – Sulley Muntari
Valter Birsa
Mario Balotelli – Alessandro Matri
Playing the trequartista role is Valter Birsa, a new player from Genoa who was included in the Luca Antonini swap deal. Birsa was introduced from the bench against Torino to make his first appearance for Milan. Allegri and Galliani can only look on as the fans are to see how we fare tomorrow against Celtic. Balotelli and Matri both need to be on their A games in order to take the 3 points from Celtic in this important Champions League opener.
The game will be on sportsnet for all of you Canadians at 2:45 pm EST.
This should be the only match that Milan play so short-handed in terms of squad depth with many of the walking wounded set to return at the weekend in the massive fixture against Napoli.
Forza Milan & Milan per sempre.
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