GdS: Predicted XIs for AC Milan vs. Venezia – Reijnders and Loftus-Cheek swap | OneFootball

AC Milan are facing a must-win game tonight in front of over 70,000 home fans at San Siro, with newly-promoted Venezia the side that are visiting.

As mentioned, it is of vital important that Milan do not just win this game but that they show enough to build on in view of the fixtures against Liverpool in the Champions League and Inter in the derby next week.

According to what is being reported by this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the head coach Paulo Fonseca will field a back four of Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Strahinja Pavlovic and Theo Hernandez in front of Mike Maignan.

It will be Ruben Loftus-Cheek alongside Youssouf Fofana in the midfield double pivot as per the paper, with Tijjani Reijnders playing a more advanced role meaning that he has effectively swapped with the Englishman.

Either side of the Netherlands international – who shone over the international break playing as a playmaker – will be Christian Pulisic on the right wing and Rafael Leao on the left. Tammy Abraham will lead the line, with Alvaro Morata recovering from injury to get a spot on the bench.

Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez; Loftus-Cheek, Fofana; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham.

Predicted Venezia XI (3-4-2-1): Joronen; Idzes, Svoboda, Schingtienne; Candela, Caviglia, Duncan, Zampano; Oristanio, Busio; Pohjanpalo.