Cremonese – Milan Serie A Week 27

Milan’s unbeaten run ended versus Parma. Mariano Troilo jumped over Bartesaghi and headed the ball in while Lautaro Valenti was impeding Maignan’s movement. Marco Piccinini said no goal but a change was made after consultation with VAR and checking the on pitch monitor. Valenti’s subtle but real action was ignored but the goal was given on the basis that there was no foul on Bartesaghi. The apparent assessment that the Italian defender ‘buckled easily’ under pressure was a laughable explanation. As there has been no explicit mention of a dive this opens the door for a third option between a player diving or not. Not for the first time refereeing influenced a result. Of course this site would mention those involving Milan, a fan site should do no less, bias or not.

So now Milan has fallen back -10 points behind Inter and has to concentrate and fight to retain a top four spot. Milan start by first visiting the team that inflicted the opening day loss before the unbeaten run started.

The lineup remains in flux with Loftus-Cheek definitely out after he suffered a broken jaw in a contact with Edoardo Corvi, Parma’s goalie. A non-reviewed incident. Fofana might return to his spot leaving Jashari and Ricci on the bench. Saelemaekers and Bartesaghi will start on right and left midfield and Modric will be in the middle. Gabbia is not fully fit and he didn’t start versus Parma. Tomori, De Winter and Pavlovic look to start again in front of Maignan. Pulisic and Leao made a rare start as a duo and may be entrusted to do again for this match at Cremonese.

Four players are one yellow away from missing the derby. However, it is thought that Allegri is not hesitating in using Rabiot, Fofana, Athekame or Saelemaekers in this early afternoon match.

The loss brought on or resurfaced rumours of unhappiness on the part of Allegri, directed at management and Furlani in particular. Regardless of their truth finishing in the top four and being more proactive in the summer is, as always, a necessity. Tare will have a lot on his plate as the team hopefully fills in needs with targeted significant spending instead of another round of wholesale changes aka a year zero.

Warren Bondo and Cremonese are in the middle of a relegation fight with Lecce and Fiorentina each trying to avoid joining what now looks like inevitable relegation for Pisa and Verona.

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