Milan Rests Basic Formation Ahead of Champions League Return to Naples: De Ketelaere, Rebic and Origi Play

Half measures, no thanks. Stefano Pioli is moving towards a total change for Milan in Bologna: 10 different starters compared to the first leg of the Champions League with Napoli… and on the return of Maradona. The only one confirmed is Mike Maignan, who will stay in goal. In attack, inside all the most discussed and least used players recently. Charles De Ketelaere will be back in the starting lineup after more than 40 days: the last time, on 4 March in Florence against Fiorentina, it went decidedly badly, with a defeat and CDK being replaced seven minutes from the end. With him will be Ante Rebic and Divock Origi, very negative from the beginning against Empoli last Friday. To complete the offensive quartet, Alexis Saelemaekers on the right: he is in form, he scored in Naples in the league, at the moment it is the first change for Pioli. These are essentially certainties.

and motives

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Changes in other departments are also very likely. Pioli is thinking of Pobega (definitely on the pitch) and Vranckx in midfield, Florenzi, Kalulu, Thiaw and Ballo-Touré in defence. Final decision in the next 24 hours but the idea is clear. The choice is easy to explain: the match in Naples is too important, so heartfelt as to become an absolute priority. The changes are not surprising – the over 30 bench like Kjaer and Giroud was not in question – but the quantity of changes: Pioli is ready to go further and give all his owners a rest. During the day, it will be clear if someone will stay at Milanello or if everyone will travel to Bologna, where Milan will play tomorrow at 3pm.

and the championship?

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The risk is very obvious. Milan, away against a team that has won six of their last 10 games, will play with an unprecedented formation, with many players having recently watched from the bench. Sure, he’ll have the best players ready to lend a hand in the second half, but the risk factor is decidedly high for those who only have one point to defend against fifth-placed Inter. Is qualification for the next Champions League economically your first objective of the season? True, but the Champions League is too strong a magnet and the match against Napoli is too balanced. Pioli thus asks the second lines to give a signal. Milan gradually narrowed down and in the Champions League it was a team with 11 starters and two reserves, Saelemaekers and Rebic. The others, not used. It is evident how Pioli has lost faith in his alternatives: Adli hardly ever played, Vranckx disappeared from the rotations after the mistake with Roma, Pobega played very little between the end of January and the beginning of April, Messias has just returned from an injury. Dest in 2013 only saw himself in two league games.

the two accused

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Rebic and Origi will be the two most watched. The 0-0 draw with Empoli was above all a consequence of their difficulties in the box: chances yes, no goals. The impression is that Pioli is hoping for a signal especially from the Belgian, who has important goals in the Champions League in his resume and would be very useful for Milan on Tuesday in Naples: in the event of overtime or a result to be recovered, his would be the most natural change. And then, barring injuries and unforeseen events, the team for Maradona can already be written: Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Diaz, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud. By now, a nursery rhyme.