Pioli chooses starting XI for Chelsea vs AC Milan
Chelsea will host AC Milan at Stamford Bridge tonight. The Rossoneri are plagued by injuries while the English desperately need a win.
The third round of the Champions League for the Italians has started on a high note. Napoli hammered Ajax in Amsterdam and Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, with great difficulty, raised their heads beating Xavi’s Barcelona at San Siro. Tonight it’s the time of Chelsea vs AC Milan while Juventus play Maccabi Haifa.
Unlike previous occasions there will not be any doubts regarding AC Milan’s starting eleven. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that all the choices of the Italian coach are forced starting from the goal. The Rossoneri were forced to remove Mike Maignan from the Champions League list in order to insert Ciprian Tatarusanu. The Romanian goalkeeper will have the difficult task to stop Chelsea’s attacking force.
Fode Ballo-Toure will be confirmed on the left after his stunning display against Empoli. Sergino Dest will replace the injured Davide Calabria. It will be his time starting from the first minute for the American right back. Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori will form the central duo.
The standard duo in midfield will not change. Ismael Bennacer will play alongside Sandro Tonali. The Algerian will also war the captain armband. The attacking unit will be an experimental one with Rade Krunic set to be adapted on the right wing. Charles De Ketelaere was considered for that role but Pioli declared he does not see the Belgian in that role. Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud will complete the attack.
All eyes will be on the two. Giroud is an important former player of Chelsea, just like Fikayo Tomori, while the Portuguese left winger is on the Blue’s radar. Chelsea vs AC Milan will be a great occasion for Leao to showcase his talent even at European stages.
CHELSEA Probable XI: Kepa; Fofana, Thiago Silva, Cucurella; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Chilwell; Mount; Sterling, Aubameyang.
AC MILAN Probable XI: Tatarusanu; Dest, Kalulu, Tomori, Ballo-Touré; Bennacer, Tonali; Krunic, De Ketelaere, Leao; Giroud.
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