AC Milan Looks to Build on Real Madrid Win as They Face Cagliari in Serie A

Following their impressive 3-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League, AC Milan is set to face Cagliari in a Serie A match on Saturday, November 9. The game will be played at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari, with a kick-off time of 18:00 CET (16:00 GMT)[5].

Milan manager Paulo Fonseca has announced several key changes to the starting lineup. With Alvaro Morata out due to a head injury and Tammy Abraham not yet fully fit, 16-year-old Francesco Camarda will make his first start for the Rossoneri. Camarda, who became the youngest-ever player to appear in Serie A last season, will replace Morata and is expected to play a crucial role in unlocking the passing lines.

In addition to Camarda’s debut start, Samuel Chukwueze will return to the starting XI, joining Rafael Leao, who impressed in the Champions League win against Real Madrid. The defense and midfield are expected to remain largely unchanged from the Real Madrid game, with Emerson Royal favored over Davide Calabria and Filippo Terracciano in the right-back position, and Malick Thiaw continuing in central defense[2].

Cagliari, who have struggled recently, will be without Michel Adopo and Yerry Mina due to suspensions. The Sardinian team has a poor record against Milan, having lost 47 out of 82 Serie A matches against them and winning only one of their last 39 encounters[3].

Fonseca expressed his concerns about the match, stating that he is more worried about facing Cagliari than he was about Real Madrid due to the differing levels of motivation each opponent generates. Despite this, Milan is favored to win, given their strong historical performance against Cagliari and the momentum from their recent Champions League victory[3][6]).