Sparks will fly in the blockbuster clash between Stefano Pioli’s Milan and Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli in this evening’s top billed Serie A clash.
The match between the Rossoneri and the Partenopei kicks off at 19.45 UK time at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan.
Defending champions Milan have continued showing their strengths this season both home and abroad, picking up confident wins over Inter and Udinese and only dropping points in tough draws with Sassuolo and Atalanta. They bounced back from their draw with RB Salzburg in the Champions League with a good showing against Dinamo Zagreb earlier this week.
Napoli have looked electric in the early stages of this campaign, exemplified by exciting winger Kvara Kvaratskhelia’s explosive start to the season. The Georgian has looked fast and dangerous, matched by the rest of his squad in wins over Liverpool, Lazio and Rangers. A 1-1 draw with Lecce and a 0-0 with Fiorentina were the only two slip ups so far.
Pioli is unable to count on Alessandro Florenzi, Ante Rebic, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Divock Origi, all of whom are out injured. Rafael Leao is suspended, further limiting the options up front.
Spalletti is without his star striker either – Victor Osimhen has been ruled out with a slight hamstring injury, leaving him sidelined for around a month. Diego Demme is also unavailable.
Probable line-ups for Milan vs Napoli:
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Bennacer; Messias, De Ketelaere, Saelemaekers; Giroud.
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Mario Rui; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia.
I wish both Osimhen and Leao were available, for the spectacle. Kalulu and Tomori tamed him like bosses last time out anyway, so I think Milan are definitely losing something more in Leao.
Good news is, there is no aerial threat from Napoli now, and that’s one of our weaknesses.
Could be a real mistake to not go 3 at the back for this. Sincerely hope I’m wrong but I can see both our wingers being bystanders.