Both Milan and Napoli are in the midst of an injury crisis and will be missing key players for this Sunday’s Serie A duel.
After a busy first half of the season, following a summer of international competition, multiple important players on both sides will be absent for the most exciting game of the weekend, a match that could be decisive in the fight for the Scudetto.
The Rossoneri will be without Pietro Pellegri, Ante Rebic and Rafael Leao for the match against Luciano Spalletti’s side on Sunday, with all three players suffering from muscle injuries.
French veteran Olivier Giroud is set to return from a muscle injury just in time for the match against the Partenopei, although it’s unlikely that he’ll start considering his lack of match fitness.
One solution that Pioli may choose is to start Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, ahead of an attacking trio of Rade Krunic, Brahim Diaz and Alexis Saelemaekers, the same setup used in the 1-1 draw with Udinese on Saturday.
Should Pioli decide to change this forward line, then it’s possible that Junior Messias or Samu Castillejo could find themselves in the starting XI.
Daniel Maldini could also start, although this seems unlikely considering the importance of the match and the fact that he’s only started twice so far this campaign.
Things are looking a little dire in the Napoli camp as well, with at least four players expected to be out due to injury.
Kalidou Koulibaly is not expected to return to action until the New Year, recovering from a muscle injury, and Fabian Ruiz is also unavailable after suffering a tear in his abductor muscle.
Eljif Elmas and Piotr Zielinski are also set to miss the match against Milan, dealing with a bruised shin bone and bronchitis respectively.
Key forward Victor Osimhen’s presence is also in doubt after he suffered a cheekbone fracture last month, although he could play with a protective face mask on.
If Osimhen plays Napoli win and I can’t see it going any other way. If he doesn’t, I forsee a draw. Not much faith in Milan at the moment, energy and confidence seems low. That magician Mertens causes havoc against Milan.
Osimhen won’t play, that is a fact. They won’t risk him in a losable fixture.
Pioli needs to go out with Messias, Diaz and Saelemakers, or even Castillejo instead the belgian.
Napoli has a lot of key players out so definitely a good chance for Milan
With both Leao and Rebic out, we’re paralyzed on our left-side, and that’s our most dangerous side, as the right is paralyzed anyway with Saelemaekers and Calabria out. Maybe if Messias starts we will have a change to do something on the right.
But yeah, with Krunic on the left, and the terrible form of Diaz and Saelemaekers, I don’t see how we can win this match.
Here’s an idea: Play Theo as a LW until one of the other two return. His defending is garbage anyway. So might as well use his speed and shooting in an offensive role. Hey, we might even discover that this suits him more. Let Ballo-Toure handle LB. Messias as RW. No choice but Brahim as AMC, with Krunic coming in for him later in the game.
Lack of commitment, energy and the pressing football is the main problem at the moment. Lads don’t show signs that they want to compete to win the league, this really needs to change.
@ Vero Rossoner Great idea.
How unlucky to have both LW out.