AC Milan search the first victory in Greece with the previous two fixture ending in a draw. Anything but a win would mean sure sacking for Montella.
After a hugely disappointing October, closed with another defeat, this time against Juventus, the Rossoneri want and have to restart. First goal: to secure Europa League qualification for the knockout stage.
Today at 19.00 CET, AC Milan will return in Athens, home of the last Champions League final won 10 years ago. In the first leg against AEK Athens at San Siro the meeting ended in a disappointing 0-0. Vincenzo Montella will have to deal with some injury problems and the need to change the team’s luck. In order to do so he will rely on the youngsters of the team. In midfield and attack there will be a mini-revolution. Nikola Kalinic will certainly rest, with Andre Silva and Patrick Cutrone who should return both as first minute starters. Behind them should act, as trequartista, Hakan Calhanoglu while Suso suffers from muscular fatigue.
Besides the changes in attack, the rest of the formation should be the 3-4-1-2. Manuel Locatelli returns in the middle – even because of the poor productivity and the consequent injury of Lucas Biglia – with Franck Kessie at his side. In midfield the alternatives are slim and it seems hasty to deploy Riccardo Montolivo (who has not played a game for more than a month) and give the Ivorian midfielder a needed rest.
There are some extra doubts regarding the flanks, with Ignazio Abate preparing for a starter place since this afternoon he regularly trained with the group. On the left Montella could rely again on Ricardo Rodriguez allowing Fabio Borini to take a much needed rest. In the defensive trio captain Leonardo Bonucci returns with Alessio Romagnoli on centre-left and one between Mateo Musacchio and Cristian Zapata on the right, with the Colombian in advantage. On goal, no surprises, Gianluigi Donnarumma.
AEK ATHENS (3-4-3): Anestis, Vranjes, Bakakis, Tzanetopoulos, Galo, Johansson, Simoes, Lopes, Mantalos, Christodoulopoulos, Livaja
AC MILAN (3-4-1-2): Donnarumma; Zapata (Musacchio), Bonucci, Romagnoli; Abate, Kessie, Rodriguez, Locatelli ; Calhanoglu; André Silva, Cutrone.
