1 week ago
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In a couple of days AC Milan will play one of the most important games of the season, a real litmus test away against Roma.
Milan go into the game at the Stadio Olimpico having won their last two against Como and Lecce, to keep pace with Inter at the top who also keep winning, but also open up a bit of a gap to fifth place (seven points).
Roma meanwhile are only four points behind the Rossoneri, and the fact they are yet to draw a game this season suggests the three points are either staying in the capital or coming back to Milan.
Roma vs. AC Milan: Predicted starting XIs
For Milan, the main news going into the game is that Alexis Saelemaekers might miss out. He suffered an adductor strain in the victory against Lecce, and his run of 21 consecutive league starts (every game) is at risk. Santiago Gimenez will also miss out.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Mike Maignan will have Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and the returning Strahinja Pavlovic ahead of him as the three-man defence, with Koni De Winter dropping to the bench.
Zachary Athekame is set for a first league start to replace the injured Saelemaekers. Youssouf Fofana, Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot are reinstated as the midfield trio after some midweek changes, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao the front two.
The likes of De Winter, Samuele Ricci, Ardon Jashari, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Füllkrug for once give the indication of having options on the bench for Allegri to exploit.
Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Athekame, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao.
Predicted Roma XI (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Ghilardi; Celik, Cristante, Kone, Wesley; Dybala, Pellegrini; Malen.
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