Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to start in the Milan attack, but Stefano Pioli is once again short of options at the back.
Milan-Spezia kicks off at 17.30 UK time at the Stadio Meazza.
Fikayo Tomori underwent knee surgery last week and will be out of action for a month.
Milan lost 43% of their matches without the former Chelsea defender (three out of seven) since the Englishman moved to the Meazza one year ago.
Sandro Tonali is suspended. Alessandro Plizzari, Simon Kjaer, Alessio Romagnoli, Pietro Pellegri, Fide Ballo-Toure, Franck Kessié and Ismael Bennacer are also not available.
However, Milan won two games from two, conceding once, in the opening two matches of 2022 with Pierre Kalulu and Matteo Gabbia in centre defence.
Theo Hernandez, Achraf Hakimi and Robin Gosens are the only defenders to have contributed to at least nine goals in the opening 21 Serie A games over the last 15 years, while the reverse fixture in October was the only match where Leao scored more than a goal in a single Serie A match.
Kevin Agudelo returns to action for Spezia but is likely to start on the bench. Thiago Motta can rely on full squad.
Spezia won the last two away games without conceding. They had won five of their previous 28, keeping just three clean sheets.
Probable line-ups
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Florenzi, Kalulu, Gabbia, Hernandez; Krunic, Bakayoko; Saelemaekers, Diaz, Leao; Ibrahimovic.
Spezia (4-4-1-1): Provedel; Amian, Erlic, Nikolaou, Reca; Kovalenko, Kiwior, Bastoni, Gyasi; Verde; Nzola.
Why don’t we try a front three with Rebić, Leao and Ibrahimovic?
Just out our best three forwards out there.
If this was Spain or the Premier League we would be playing those three. For some reason in Italy there is a reluctance to go all out attack. .
Maldini’s Heir, you must be a Brit because you speak too much sense… this is Italian football, many Italians think it’s okay to prevent healthy people from leaving their homes let alone working if certain conditions aren’t met… so why not play safe and only play 2/3s of the most potent attack in Serie A so not to scare the opponents.
and Giroud and Shevchenko surely.
You cannot play Rebic, Leao and Ibrahimovic in a 4-2-3-1. Leao and Rebic are both left flank players. They could perhaps try Leao and Rebic in a 4-4-2 with one of them as a striker, but that surely involves a change in system.
Play Weah and Papin in the full back spots too. Maybe see if Van Basten wants to fill in at centre back. Get them all on. If they are allowed to leave their homes of course because thats a totally relevant part of this and not at all shoe horned in for a whinge.
we should sign Dybala on free transfer
Honestly I’d be open to any solution that doesn’t involve Diaz at the moment.
I don’t think its crazy to look at a formation change given the amount of starters out. I think the issue this game will be figuring out how to keep the ball out of the net . And Spezia are pretty organized in defense as well. This game is no gimme .( hope I am wrong though).
3 starting CB’s out , starting RB out , 2 starting CMD’s out. That’s a big hole in the center of the park If that’s not a challenge, I don’t know what is?
If Reno were still the coach I would say put him out there at CDM.