Official: Arsenal vs. AC Milan starting XIs – Allegri opts for three centre-backs

Massimiliano Allegri has named his starting XI as AC Milan take on Arsenal in the first preseason friendly of their summer tour.

Milan will take on the Gunners at the Singapore National Stadium, in the first instalment of the Asia-Pacific tour. Games against Liverpool in Hong Kong and Perth Glory in Western Australia will follow.

Youssouf Fofana and Alex Jimenez have both had slight injury problems and will not be risked, with Luka Modric and Santiago Gimenez on vacation. Emerson Royal, Ismael Bennacer and Yacine Adli are among those who have been left in Italy and told to find a new club.

Arsenal vs. AC Milan: Official XIs

The most interesting note regarding the team that Allegri has picked concerns the formation: he has gone for a three-man defence with Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and Strahinja Pavlovic ahead of the new signing in net Pietro Terracciano.

Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi are the two wing-backs, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samuele Ricci and Yunus Musah the trio in midfield. Up front, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic have got the nod.

Official Milan XI (3-5-2): Terracciano; Tomori, Thiaw, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Musah; Bartesaghi; Leao, Pulisic

Bench:

Official Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.

Bench: