Parma – Milan Serie A Week 11

The week 10 game versus Roma started as poorly as one could imagine. To say the team started slow would be an understatement. Roma couldn’t translate the dominance to goals and as the first half neared its end the game changed. The moment came in the 39th minute when a counter started deep in the Milan zone. Saelemaekers took on the ball, found Leao wide, and Leao ran hard towards the Roma goal. Pavlovic always working hard and running up had followed in the central lane, he received Leao’s cut back and put the ball in the net close range. The game was not the same after the goal. Milan had the better possession for most of the remaining 51 minutes. It was not all good of course and Fofana, a disappointment even before the incident, raised his arm in the wall defending a Roma freekick and Roma were given a penalty. Maignan dove well and pushed the low Dybala ball out for a corner. After the save Marco Guida, the referee, had his moment in a close up with Saelemaekers. The Belgian’s celebration was perhaps too intentionally close to the referee and the resulting incident went viral. In the end Milan hung on for an important win.

Parma do not represent as a big a threat as Roma but this of course means little in professional football and especially with Milan’s track record against teams lower in the standings. Parma enter this week 11 match having scored a Serie A low five goals. Nevertheless Milan players need to act like pros and ready to go from the first minute. The injured list has fewer names on it and crucially Pulisic could be ready for the bench. The starting 11 is expected to change little however. Maignan, still a likely Bosman next summer, fresh from the aforementioned penalty save will of course start in goal. Tomori, Gabbia and the fully committed hard working Pavlovic start at the back. Rabiot is close to a return but the middle five should stay the same. Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci and Bartesaghi are expected to start. Fofana arguably needs to be benched and perhaps a chance should be given to recent injury returnee Jashari. It is also possible that Estupinan, now recovered, can slot back in for Bartesaghi. Leao and Nkunku are the only real options for the front. Gimenez has claimed to be suffering from an ankle injury but official word of its severity has not arrived.

Zion Suzuki’s name has been mooted as a possible Maignan replacement next season. The Parma goalkeeper is seen as a good replacement. As with Milan talk and rumours few things can be certain until well into a transfer window. Before next summer Milan will need to add other reinforcements in the January transfer window.

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