Sergio Conceicao could make a surprising choice for the game against Napoli, with Tammy Abraham the favourite to start up front at present.
Corriere dello Sport writes how at the end of the season Abraham will be under the magnifying glass in terms of his possible permanent signing from Roma. The Englishman was the deputy to Alvaro Morata and now, as an alternative to Santiago Gimenez, he can convince the management.
He has not scored in Serie A since November yet has made decisive contributions, such as the assist against Como and the Supercoppa Italiana derby win in Riyadh, an important step in Milan’s season as it brought a trophy.
However, the memory of an away trip to Naples, for Abraham, is that of a goal: the last one scored with the Roma shirt, his signature on 2-2 two minutes from the end. It would be the best to repeat on Sunday.
Abraham was not there in the first game against Napoli due to a shoulder problem that caused the striker’s first league absence since being with the Rossoneri. In the meantime, Gimenez has returned to full strength, having done a solo training session two days ago, after international duty.
The slight alarm that could have been created about the Mexican’s condition was quickly silenced, and the striker will compete for a place with Abraham who is currently the favourite. In the meantime, Gimenez is approaching 20 goals for the season, though he is in the midst of a drought.
If the former Feyenoord man can return to scoring after a month and a half without a goal, it can open up new horizons for Conceiçao and the team. After scoring three goals in his early appearances, he hasn’t scored since mid-February.
In this sense, the precedent from two years ago can be comforting when Milan went to Naples more or less as a sacrificial victim right after returning from the March break. It was the season of a triumphal ride for Spalletti and the team, towards the Scudetto.
Yet, the Rossoneri overwhelmed all logic and predictions, winning 4-0. That was also the last Milan capable of scoring more than three goals in an away match. Exactly two years have passed. Not much is asked of the attack this time around, but laying the foundations for a spring sprint is a priority.
