The top four train is very close to leaving without AC Milan, and that makes tonight’s game against Bologna a do-or-die.
Bologna-Milan was originally meant to be played at the end of October, but the game ended up being postponed due to risk of flooding in what actually ended up being quite a farcical situation in the end.
Fast-forward to the end of February, and the game has a lot more meaning now than it might have done then. The Rossoneri are eight points behind Juventus in fourth and this is the game in hand, so a win is needed to trim the gap.
Milan remain without Alessandro Florenzi and Emerson Royal. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is getting closer to a return but will not be available, while Kyle Walker will also sit out. Both Englishmen could be back after the Lazio fixture at the weekend.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), Sergio Conceicao will break up the ‘Fantastic Four’, the ‘Fab Four’ or whatever media-dubbed name you prefer. Joao Felix will be the one to miss out, with Christian Pulisic, Tijjani Reijnders and Rafael Leao operating behind Santiago Gimenez.
Yunus Musah will therefore partner the returning Youssouf Fofana in the midfield double pivot. Alex Jimenez, Malick Thiaw, Strahinja Pavlovic and Theo Hernandez should be the back four ahead of Mike Maignan.
The doubts are listed as Leao-Felix at 60-40% in favour of the former, then Musah-Felix again at 60-40%. The likes of Felix, Riccardo Sottil, Tammy Abraham, Samuel Chukwueze, Luka Jovic and Warren Bondo are bench options.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Jimenez, Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo; Fofana, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Felix; Gimenez
