Official: AC Milan vs. Napoli starting XIs – key absences force six changes | OneFootball

AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has named his starting line-up for the game against Napoli, and there are multiple changes from the Club Brugge game.

Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders were expected to serve their suspensions on Saturday against Bologna, but the postponement of that game means they will be suspended for tonight instead. Matteo Gabbia, Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic are injured meanwhile.

Fonseca has chosen changed three of the back four with Malick Thiaw, Strahinja Pavlovic and Filippo Terracciano all coming in. Emerson Royal and Mike Maignan are the only players in the rearguard from the Brugge game to keep their spots.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was expected to come in for the suspended Reijnders and partner Youssouf Fofana in the midfield double pivot, while Samu Chukwueze and Noah Okafor occupied the wings.

However, Christian Pulisic has come down with flu and thus Loftus-Cheek should occupy a more advanced role as the attacking midfielder, with Yunus Musah playing in the midfield pairing instead.

Alvaro Morata will lead the line, which means Rafael Leao has dropped to the bench as was speculated in the build-up.

Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Terracciano; Fofana, Musah; Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek, Okafor, Morata.

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Calabria, Bartesaghi, Tomori, Jimenez, Pulisic, Zeroli, Liberali, Leao, Camarda.

Official Napoli XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia.

Bench: Turi, Caprile, Juan Jesus, Neres, Marin, Simeone, Zerbin, Ngonge, Mazzocchi, Spinazzola, Raspadori, Folorunsho.