GdS: Predicted XIs for Milan vs. Cremonese – Fofana and Loftus-Cheek keep spots

AC Milan will kick off their 2025-26 Serie A campaign on Saturday night at San Siro, with Cremonese being the visitors.

The selection news that dominated the headlines going into the league opener is the absence of Rafael Leao. He sustained a calf issue shortly after scoring the opening goal in Sunday’s Coppa Italia win over Bari, and will not be risked.

Aside from that, it should be a fully fit squad to choose from. Samuel Chukwueze has had a minor problem in the past few days but he returned to full training on Thursday and should take a spot on the bench.

Milan vs. Cremonese: Predicted XIs

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Allegri will line Milan up with a three-man defence again. Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic are tipped to be the centre-backs ahead of Mike Maignan.

The midfield line will consist of Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupinan as wing-backs either side of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samuele Ricci and Youssouf Fofana who are the trio in the middle.

With Leao absent, it feels almost certain that Santiago Gimenez will be drafted in to partner Christian Pulisic. The bench features the links of Koni De Winter, Luka Modric, Ardon Jashari, Chukwueze and Alex Jimenez.

Interestingly, the Cremonese XI should feature two Milan-owned players in Filippo Terracciano and Warren Bondo, both of whom went there on initial loan deals.

Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Fofana, Estupiñan; Pulisic, Gimenez.

Predicted Cremonese XI (4-4-2): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti, Pezzella; Zerbin, Bondo, Grassi, Vandeputte; Sanabria, De Luca.