Maurizio Sarri explains his squad rotation against Milan ahead of the Champions League trip to Bayern Munich and why he took the team out to dinner. ‘There is physical and mental fatigue.’
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
This opening fixture of the Serie A Week 27 round is played this evening so that the Biancocelesti can have time to prepare for Tuesday’s Champions League Round of 16.
They won the first leg 1-0 and take that lead to Germany against Bayern Munich.
“The team had an uninterrupted run of games, so clearly there is physical and mental fatigue, we had to make different choices tonight,” Sarri told DAZN.
The coach hints that the choice of Taty Castellanos upfront and Matias Vecino in midfield might be signals about his plans for the upcoming Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
“Rest is forced, the lads were showing signs of fatigue. We had to rush the return, as Vecino and Zaccagni are not 100 per cent fit, but we needed to give some other players time off.”
Sarri took the whole team out to dinner this week in a team-building exercise, though he insists it was just an attempt to take some of the pressure off.
“I realised the need for this team to train less. So rather than a double session, we had a single one and then went out to dinner.