Milan have announced their squad for the Champions League knockout phase, with Malick Thiaw replacing Sergino Dest, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic and temporarily Mike Maignan are left out.
The Rossoneri will face Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 16 and continue to be affected by the on-going injury crisis.
It was hoped that Ibrahimovic would be able to recover for the second half of the season after undergoing knee surgery in May 2022, but the veteran Swede is not risked by taking up a spot.
Full-back Dest is removed and replaced by summer signing Thiaw, who is more versatile in different defensive roles.
The big issue remains Maignan, who was originally in the squad and then removed to make way for Ciprian Tatarusanu after his injury.
Although it is still believed the France international will be back to face Spurs, he is initially not in the Champions League list.
Due to the injury issue, he can still be added up to 24 hours before the first game against Tottenham.
However, as Milan have so few Italians in the squad, then if Maignan comes back in, Tatarusanu will be left out in favour of third-choice goalkeeper Antonio Mirante.
Milan Champions League squad: Ballo-Touré, Brahim Diaz, Bennacer, Calabria, De Ketelaere, Florenzi, Gabbia, Giroud, Theo Hernandez, Kalulu, Kjaer, Krunic, Leao, Tatarusanu, Mirante, Origi, Messias, Pobega, Rebic, Saelemakers, Tomori, Tonali, Thiaw
B-List: Nava, Jungdal, Paloschi, Coubis, Bozzolan, Bartesaghi, Bakoune, Zeroli, Gala, Foglio, El Hilali, Longhi, Alesi
Bang average squad with a sprinkling of top players, one of them unfortunately the keeper. Tatarusanu has been an accident waiting to happen, and Mirante is as bad.
Hopefully they can reverse their abysmal record against epl sides. It’s looking gloomy, though.