GdS: Conceicao to ‘camouflage’ Milan ahead of Coppa Italia final – his plan explained

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·8 de mayo de 2025

GdS: Conceicao to ‘camouflage’ Milan ahead of Coppa Italia final – his plan explained

AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao plans to deploy a ‘disguise’ in the Serie A game against Bologna, with his mind on the Coppa Italia final.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport writes, the need to try and hide plans in the last outing before a final would be there regardless, and even more so if the opponent were the same in both matches. That is very much the case for Milan.

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Even if we are in the digital age, where the flow of information on the teams to face is constant and abundant, and where match analysts churn out increasingly detailed reports, a bit of old-fashioned rotation doesn’t hurt.

Why? It is partly to avoid revealing too many tactical details in the first round and then obviously to try arrive at the more important game with everyone close to 100%. In short, the two Milan-Bologna matches are shaping up to be two decidedly different matches.

Milan have an advantage: unlike Bologna they have nothing to really play for in the league. The Rossoblù, on the other hand, are in the heat of a battle for a place in the Champions League. This means that Conceiçao will have more freedom to ‘camouflage’ his side.

In the league

We will not see a completely distorted team tomorrow night, though. It is easy to imagine that the same playing system will be used and then used again in Rome. That is, the 3-4-3 – initially a 3-4-2-1 in Genoa – which has seen Milan win four out of their last five, conceding only two goals.

There are some fixed points in this structure like the defence, where at least one change is expected. Malick Thiaw could get the nod, while Fikayo Tomori’s place is ‘threatened’ by Kyle Walker. On the wings, Theo Hernandez will be asked to work overtime, while Yunus Musah could replace Alex Jimenez.

In the midfield there will be no Youssouf Fofana, who has a sore foot and is expected to return for the final. It is difficult to give up Tijjani Reijnders as well, so it is possible to see Ruben Loftus-Cheek alongside him as in Genoa, after Fofana went off.

In attack, with Rafael Leao suspended, it is reasonable to expect Joao Felix to return from the first minute (his last start: March 30 against Napoli). On the right, Christian Pulisic may need to recharge his batteries, and with Riccardo Sottil out it would be up to Samuel Chukwueze.

What about the striker role? The chances of Santiago Gimenez getting the nod are rising after two goal contributions in his last two appearances off the bench. Luka Jovic might be preserved, while Tammy Abraham has only just returned to full training.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Simone Arveda/.Getty Images

In the Coppa Italia

The most intriguing suggestion in view of the Stadio Olimpico concerns the name of the centre-forward. If until a few days ago, with Abrahm injured and Gimenez off the radar, Jovic seemed certain to have no competition, now the odds have changed a bit.

The Serbian was anonymous against Genoa on Monday, reigniting worries about his effectiveness as a starter. If Abraham were to prove physically ready in these days and Gimenez were to show more positive signs, it would be a situation to monitor very carefully.

In view of the final, Conceiçao should not have more than two doubts. In addition to the one on the centre forward, a Tomori-Walker duel could be added, with the former however remaining the favourite for a logic of continuity. The ex-City man could prevail due to experience in big games.

For the rest, doubts are almost non-existent: in defence Gabbia and Pavlovic, on the wings Jimenez and Theo, in the middle the recovered Fofana and Reijnders, then Pulisic and Leao. All that remains is to wait for the dress rehearsal at the to reveal the extent of camouflage.