Official: AC Milan vs. Udinese starting XIs – five changes from Fiorentina defeat | OneFootball

AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has named his starting line-up for the game against Udinese this evening, and he has opted to make several changes from the team that lost to Fiorentina before the break.

In terms of absences for Milan, Davide Calabria is the only player who is not yet out of the treatment room in terms of the short-term absences. Ismael Bennacer, Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Sportiello remain out as they continue recovery from surgery.

Mike Maignan is in goal with Emerson Royal at right-back, while as of last night it seemed it would be Matteo Gabbia alongside Strahinja Pavlovic at centre-back. However, the former has a muscle issue and it will be Malick Thiaw who pairs up with the Serbian.

Filippo Terracciano will take the spot of the suspended Theo Hernandez at left-back after winning the duel with Alex Jimenez, and there are no changes in the double pivot which means Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders keep their spot.

Samuel Chukwueze returned early from Nigeria duty with an injury scare earlier in the week but he will is fine and starts on the right, with Christian Pulisic as the attacking midfielder and Noah Okafor on the left in place of Rafael Leao.

The Portuguese winger is believed to be having his workload managed given that the games will now come thick and fast. Finally, Alvaro Morata taking Tammy Abraham’s place and thus leading the line.

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

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Loftus-Cheek, Leao, Jimenez, Tomori, Liberali, Bartesaghi, Musah, Abraham.

Official Udinese XI (3-5-2): Okoye; Kabasele, Bijol, Toure; Ehizibue, Zemura, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Zemura; Iker Bravo, Lucca.

Bench: Sava, Padelli, Abankwah, Payero, Davis, Kamara, Palma, Brenner, Ebosse, Giannetti, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Rui Modesto, Pizarro.