Milan coach Stefano Pioli has several options to surprise Inter in Saturday’s Derby della Madonnina, including Franck Kessie behind the strikers and Zlatan Ibrahimovic upfront.
It kicks off at San Siro on Saturday at 17.00 GMT and is a Scudetto showdown between the top two teams in Serie A at this time.
Kessie has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations after the Ivory Coast’s elimination and he resumed training with his teammates today.
His final game before leaving for international duty saw him play in a new trequartista role behind the strikers, effectively replacing off-form Brahim Diaz.
It proved surprisingly positive, with Kessie scoring two goals.
According to the latest reports from Milannews.it, Pioli is giving serious consideration to replicating that tactic in the derby, therefore managing to block off Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic’s influence on the game.
The other concerns are all about fitness, specifically Ibrahimovic and Ante Rebic, both of whom are not 100 per cent fit.
Ibrahimovic limped off in the last game against Juventus with an Achilles tendon issue and continues to train separately.
If the Swede doesn’t get the all-clear, then Olivier Giroud will lead the way in his first Milan Derby.