AC Milan Shake Up Starting Line-up Against Revitalised Verona

AC Milan will face a revitalised Verona in Serie A as Stefano Pioli makes surprising changes to the starting line-up. Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan are set to start for the Rossoneri, with an unexpected choice in Noah Okafor as the centre-forward against Verona. The match, set to kick off at the Stadio Bentegodi, will see important players returning from bans and injuries.

Last week, AC Milan climbed ahead of Atalanta into second place and confirmed their spot in the Champions League with a decisive 3-1 victory over Slavia Praha. Leao, who scored a stunning solo goal in the European match, will be back on the starting line-up alongside Alessandro Florenzi. Maignan, who picked up a minor injury in the previous game, is cleared to start in goal following concerns about his fitness.

Noteworthy changes by Pioli also include Okafor’s role as the central attacker, leaving both Olivier Giroud and Luka Jovic on the bench. Pierre Kalulu, who has been sidelined since October due to a thigh injury, is expected to make his return. In contrast, Verona enters the match with back-to-back wins against Fiorentina and Lecce, securing them a spot outside the bottom three.

Verona will see the absence of Thomas Henry due to suspension after a recent altercation, while Juan Manuel Cruz remains injured. Pawel Dawidowicz, returning from suspension, is expected to feature in the defensive line alongside the newly called-up Michael Folorunsho. Verona’s starting XI is likely to include players like Montipò, Centonze, Coppola, Dawidowicz, Cabal, Duda, Serdar, Folorunsho, Suslov, Lazovic, and Noslin.

On the other hand, AC Milan’s probable line-up consists of Maignan, Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, and Theo Hernandez in defense, with Bennacer and Reijnders manning the midfield. Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, and Leao are expected to support Okafor in the attacking trio. The match promises an intriguing showdown between two sides aiming for different objectives in the Serie A season.