A changed lineup with Hernandez and Leao on the bench managed to rout Cagliari 5-1 and the subsequent Juventus tie with Salernitana ensured second place for this 2023-2024 Serie A season. Champions League places, now that Serie A has five spots, was confirmed earlier and now Milan know their place in the newly expanded to four team Super Coppa. In other words there is nothing to play for this week and the next week in the final game of the season. Some hopes for primavera or youth team members like Kevin Zeroli or the likes of Francesco Camarda being given a chance will likely not really materialize except for few substitute minutes. The latter is in apparent contract dispute with the team and his Milan future is not set in stone.
Maignan is expected to stay on the bench and there are whispers of a sale as well. Whether the team needs or will do a Tonali type sale in the summer remains to be seen and if so Maignan could be the man. Sportiello will start in goal. Gabbia has accumulated yellow and it is therefore a Tomori, Thiaw center back pairing with Kalulu and Hernandez the possible full backs. A 4-3-3 is expected with three of Musah, Bennacer, Reijnders and Adli. Leao may remain on the bench, a questionable move perhaps. Okafor is set to start in Portuguese’s place with Giroud and Pulisic up front. Chukwueze will miss the final two games of the season with the team suffering yet another muscular injury absence.
The focus is on finding a Pioli replacement with many underwhelming names linked. The team is set to make an early off season decision on the coach’s replacement.
Torino’s Ivan Juric is set to leave the team having been in charge since 2021. Torino sit exactly in the middle of the table with a shot at a Conference League qualification spot.
