Tatarusanu and Ballo-Touré ready to use. Rebic tries, Tonali ok

Maignan and Hernandez are the two big names that Pioli must replace in Empoli. The alternative on the left is Dest. Origi still apart

Maignan and Theo. The two great absentees, the two mammasantissima to replace are them. Because otherwise, Milan will not be so deformed compared to the reference eleven of the latest releases. Giroud returned from France with (many) more minutes in his legs, but he is still fine. Leao will return after the disqualification. And on the trocar there are all: De Ketelaere, Diaz and Adli. Everything under control even on the right, while on the left – Leao removed – the plate is still crying.

Orientation

In goal there are no doubts: space for Tatarusanu, Mike’s deputy, placed in a hurry also in the Champions League list. It will be his seasonal debut and that doesn’t scare him: Nanny at 36 has the experience to handle sudden calls to work. It also happened last season. Six games in the league, three in the Champions League, with mixed fortunes. The peak remains the penalty saved from Lautaro in the derby at the beginning of November (it ended 1-1, therefore a decisive intervention) and a mandatory mention also for the only Rossoneri success in the Champions League group at Atletico: clean sheet. In front of him on the left, however, Pioli has not yet completely dissolved his reserves. The orientation would seem to indicate the natural replacement for Hernandez, or Ballo-Touré. So far, only the crumbs for him, but it’s normal when you have someone like Theo in front of you: a presence, sixteen minutes. Alternatives? Dest or Calabria. As Pioli sees it, the captain is the last option: the coach in the past, even in full emergency, has always preferred to leave him in his usual area. Dest on the other hand might be the real other option. For him three replacements and 91 minutes on the pitch, the last of which went badly: with Napoli the American has the penalty on Kvaratskhelia on his conscience.

Recovery work

For the rest, the full availability of Calabria (last week struggling with a muscle problem) and Tonali, who had generated a certain alarm in the national team, was confirmed. The recovery work for Rebic and Origi continues forward. A few steps forward for the Croatian, who today played a part of training in a group and will try to be included in the squad for Empoli. Divock, on the other hand, continued aside, the return will probably take place against Juve.

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