Milan will look to Olivier Giroud against Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio, with both he and Stefano Pioli not expected to rotate their squads much.
The second quarter-final of the Coppa Italia kicks off at the Stadio Meazza tonight at 20.00 UK time.
The Rossoneri won 2-0 in September with goals from Leao and Ibrahimovic. The Swede is still injured and unavailable, while Fikayo Tomori and Ante Rebic may be available but won’t start. Rebic was involved in four goals in his last four games against Lazio.
Stefano Pioli must cope without Simon Kjaer and Fodé Ballo-Toure, while Alexis Saelemaekers and Sandro Tonali are one yellow card away from suspension.
Milan have lost just two of the last 17 Coppa Italia games at home, both against Lazio, and have scored 16 of their last 17 goals in the competition from open play. However, the Rossoneri have won just one game from the previous nine against Lazio in Coppa Italia and haven’t scored in the last five matches.
Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri called the Coppa Italia an ‘unsporting tournament’ yesterday, but the Tuscan will field some of his best players tonight.
Pedro returns but is unlikely to start. Francesco Acerbi is injured, Danilo Cataldi, Felipe Anderson, Elseid Hysaj and Luiz Felipe will miss the potential semis with a yellow card.
Lazio were eliminated in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals in the last two seasons and haven’t suffered three elimination in a row at this stage since 1993. Ciro Immobile contributed to five goals in the last five games against Milan in all competitions.
Probable line-ups
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Messias, Diaz, Leao; Giroud.
Lazio (4-3-3): Reina; Hysaj, Luiz Felipe, Patric, Marusic; Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni.
Lazio will win this time
If Pioli is smart he won’t start Giroud. After an intense game at the weekend he won’t have a full 90 minutes in him. I think try the new boy and a couple of rotation players for 55 minutes and then use all of the subs allowed to finish the game strong. I’m hoping that Sarri is more focused on EL game on the 17th as he has already said he doesn’t like this competition and there is a very physical game against Sinisa’s Bologna coming up at the weekend.
I think this will be a good game.
Milan getting some confidence back, building back up. Also getting some more starters back soon.
I would like to see Pioli throw Lazetic in field and bench Giroud or maybe put Giroud in if the game goes to extra time… oh and Bennacer over Kessie… not because of Kessie doesn’t want to extend his contract, but because he looks tired from African Cup.
If we can’t score at least a couple of goals against Patric in defense then we better crash out of the Coppa all together.