Chaka Traorè, Álex Jiménez and Jan-Carlo Simic are set to start for Milan against Cagliari in a Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie at San Siro tonight.
It kicks off at 20:00 GMT and it’s the first official game of 2024 in Italy.
Both coaches Stefano Pioli and Claudio Ranieri are expected to rotate massively. The Rossoneri will start three academy players: Simic and Jimenez in defence and Traorè in attack.
Simic and Traorè have already made their senior debut with the Rossoneri, while Jimenez will make his first-ever appearance with the Rossoneri’s first team.
Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud will rest, Mike Maignan will still start in goal, while Samuel Chukwueze will get the nod before joining the Nigeria national team for the AFCON.
Zito Luvumbo is also available for Cagliari and will join Angola national team after the game.
The winner will face Atalanta or Sassuolo in the quarter-finals. Nerazzurri and Neroverdi meet in Bergamo on January 3, 2024.
Milan-Cagliari: probable line-ups
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Simic, Theo Hernandez, Jimenez; Adli, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Romero, Traorè; Jovic.
Cagliari (4-3-1-2): Radunovic; Di Pardo, Wieteska, Hatzidiakos, Obert; Deiola, Makoumbou, Jankto; Mancosu; Luvumbo, Petagna.