Cagliari – Milan Serie A Week 18
A new calendar year begins with Milan second in the table, the team has done better than most expected and all with a thin squad. As the midpoint of the season approaches Milan is in a position to compete with Inter, Napoli and others. The team has only one competition to play the rest of this season. This begins with six Serie A matches in January before settling for a lighter schedule, something rarely available or possible in modern football.
As Fullkrug’s loan transfer has become official almost in a emergency this early in the January window the German forward becomes the new number and is ready on the bench. Gimenez finally got a confirmed injury update and he will miss three months after undergoing surgery for a persistent ankle issue. Nkunku is out injured and Allegri is therefore unable to use the same lineup that beat Verona 3-0 with a brace from the Frenchman. It seems that Loftus-Cheek and not Pulisic will play upfront with Leao. The American trained separately but should be on the bench. The unavailable players therefore affect the midfield five with Fofana likely to return to a starting spot with Saelemaekers, Modric, Rabiot and Bartesaghi. Pavlovic was said to have a fever the day before the match but could recover to start with De Winter and Tomori. Gabbia looks to be well enough for a return but only for the bench. If Pavlovic can be play then Odugo or Estupinan will start.
Maignan will start in goal of course and his renewal is being mentioned in more optimistic terms. With now less than six months left before he becomes a free agent time has basically ran out for a contract extension, unless of course the player himself chooses to give Milan time before he finds agreement with another team.
Cagliari now feature Andrea Belotti though the Italian forward is out with long term injury.
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