Milan Vs Monza: Berlusconi’s Legacy Match

In a significant fixture always associated with Silvio Berlusconi, Milan gears up to face Monza, marking the first encounter since the passing of the iconic figure, who helmed Milan for over three decades before venturing into steering Monza into their maiden top-flight campaign.

Milan welcomes back Simon Kjaer to fortify their defense, albeit at the expense of losing Davide Calabria due to suspension. This prompts a tactical shift, allowing Theo Hernandez to reclaim his role as left-back and Alessandro Florenzi to switch to the right. Despite Kjaer’s comeback, key players such as Yunus Musah, Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu, Marco Sportiello, Mattia Caldara, and Marco Pellegrino remain sidelined.

Tommaso Pobega steps into the midfield, while the attacking front sees Olivier Giroud spearheading the lineup, edging out Luka Jovic for the striking position. The clash follows Milan’s recent 2-1 victory over Newcastle United, a result that propelled them into the Europa League knockout play-offs after falling short in the Champions League pursuit.

For Monza, the absence of key players like Pablo Mari, Gianluca Caprari, and Papu Gomez, serving a two-year ban for doping, poses challenges. However, the return of Samuele Vignato bolsters their squad. Notably, Mattia Pessina, Danilo D’Ambrosio, and Andrea Colpani maintain pivotal roles following their impactful performance in the recent 1-0 triumph over Genoa.

The lineup unveils Milan’s formidable formation with Maignan guarding the goalposts, Florenzi, Kjaer, Tomori, and Theo Hernandez comprising the defense. The midfield showcases Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, and Pobega, while the attacking prowess is led by Pulisic and Leao alongside Giroud.

Monza, set to challenge Milan’s resilience, present their lineup with Di Gregorio in goal, supported by D’Ambrosio, Caldirola, and A Carboni in defense. Pereira, Pessina, Gagliardini, and Kyriakopoulos form the midfield, flanking Colpani and Mota Carvalho in the attacking setup.

As the teams set foot on the field, anticipation surges for a clash that not only embodies football rivalry but also pays homage to Berlusconi’s enduring legacy in Italian football history.