{"id":569245,"date":"2020-10-15T13:00:18","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T17:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=569245"},"modified":"2020-10-14T09:48:18","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T13:48:18","slug":"looking-ahead-milan-derby-likely-lineups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/10\/15\/looking-ahead-milan-derby-likely-lineups\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Ahead: Milan Derby Likely Line-Ups"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Milan Derby kicks off this Saturday night. This match always holds bragging rights implications, but there’s a different tone for the upcoming one. AC Milan<\/a> is ahead of Inter Milan in the league table, and although the season is young, Milan looks much improved from years prior. Due to both injuries and positive COVID-19 tests<\/a>, both teams will field different lineups than usual.<\/p>\n

Likely Line-Ups for the Milan Derby<\/strong><\/h2>\n

AC Milan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Defence<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Gianluigi Donnarumma<\/a> will start in goal for Milan. This will always be the case for the\u00a0Rossoneri<\/em>. He is the heart and soul of the club and has been captain all season long so far due to Alessio Romagnoli<\/a>‘s past injury.<\/p>\n

The defence will see a change, one that should be positive but also carries a shadow of doubt. This comes within the centre-backs. Simon Kjaer<\/a> will start again, as he has been massive for the club since his arrival from Sevilla in January. His veteran presence is a major boost to a young defence.<\/p>\n

His partner in the back should be Romagnoli. The captain has yet to play a game this season due to a hamstring injury he suffered last season but is looking healthy in training. Matteo Gabbia<\/a> had been starting alongside Kjaer, and has done well, but was one of Milan’s latest positive COVID-19 tests. Romagnoli starting should be seen as a boost, but it presents a risk as he will be facing one of Italy’s most potent attacks in his first game back.<\/p>\n

The starting fullbacks will stay the same with Davide Calabria<\/a> and Theo Hernandez<\/a>. Andrea Conti<\/a> is not in the running to start at right-back after suffering an injury, but with that being said Calabria has been in top form.<\/p>\n

Midfield<\/h4>\n

Milan will employ their regular midfield double pivot of Ismael Bennacer<\/a> and Franck Kessie<\/a>. Bennacer pulls the strings for Milan, while Kessie is constantly improving as a box-to-box threat. The duo continues to show their world-class form from the end of last season.<\/p>\n

Attack<\/h4>\n

The three players behind the striker in Stefano Pioli’s 4-2-3-1 formation will be Alexis Saelemaekers<\/a>, Hakan Calhanoglu<\/a>, and Rafael Le\u00e3o<\/a>. Saelemaekers may not produce the spectacular, but he is a workhorse<\/span>. <\/span>Calhanoglu has looked like a genius in recent months, and is a threat to either score and assist. Le\u00e3o is back from his previous COVID-19 quarantine and scored a brace in Milan’s last match versus Spezia. This gives him the edge over Brahim Diaz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A major boost to the\u00a0Rossoneri\u00a0<\/em>is the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic<\/a>. The Swede has recovered from COVID-19 and is back in training. Milan didn’t necessarily need him for their easier slate of games to open the season, but he will be crucial versus Inter.<\/p>\n

Inter Milan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Defence<\/h4>\n

Like Donnarumma for Milan, Inter has their constant in Samir Handanovic<\/a>. The Slovenian has been arguably the top goalkeeper in the league for the past several seasons and continues to be great.<\/p>\n

The defence is where things get interesting. Antonio Conte typically employs three centre-backs in the XI, but this time he will be without Milan Skriniar<\/a> and Alessandro Bastoni<\/a> due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Stefan de Vrij<\/a> is healthy and a regular starter. Now, however, it looks as if Danilo D’Ambrosio<\/a> will start on the right with Aleksander Kolarov<\/a> on the left. The two are solid defenders but are naturally fullbacks.<\/p>\n

Midfield<\/h4>\n

Inter are spoiled with options in the midfield. With that being said, they will be without Radja Nainggolan<\/a>, Ashley Young<\/a>, and Roberto Gagliardini<\/a> due to COVID-19. Stefano Sensi<\/a> will miss the game with a suspension.<\/p>\n

Achraf Hakimi<\/a> will play on the right in the five-man midfield. He’s already been excellent, and Conte loves to utilize his wingbacks. Ivan Perisic<\/a> will feature on the left, as he is back from Bayern Munich<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two players in between the wingbacks will likely be Arturo Vidal<\/a> and Marcelo Brozovi<\/a>c. Vidal is a favourite of Conte’s, and although not at the top of his game anymore, still a serviceable midfielder. Brozovic is an Inter constant and tends to always play well in the Milan Derby.<\/p>\n

The one midfielder behind the two strikers will be Nicolo Barella<\/a>. Inter do have Christian Eriksen<\/a>, but Barella has been the player of choice thus far.<\/p>\n

Attack<\/h4>\n

Inter boasts one of the most fearsome attacks in Serie A. This, of course, features both Romelu Lukaku<\/a> and Lautauro Martinez<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lukaku already has three goals in three matches this season, averaging a goal every 82 minutes on the pitch. This will prove to be a tough cover for Romagnoli while still recovering from injury. Lukaku gave himself the nickname of the “King of Milan” after the last Milan Derby, so he will be playing with a lot to prove.<\/p>\n

Martinez’s brilliance often gets overshadowed by Lukaku. The Argentinian, however, is capable of starting as a lone striker for most teams in Italy, so pairing him up with Lukaku is a nightmare to plan against.<\/p>\n

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Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>