💣 Chivu backs Thuram-Lautaro, McKennie 🔙, Malen and PL buzz ☀️ | OneFootball

Milan’s opening Europa League night was bitter—very bitter, as at San Siro they not only lost but also played poorly. Benfica won 2-0 against the Rossoneri, who have a major problem both in terms of play and goals. Tonight, meanwhile, it’s Juve’s turn, as they host NEC in Turin with the obligation to get a result and also regain confidence after the defeat in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo.

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While waiting to see what answers the pitch will provide, let’s first take a look at the most important news of the morning involving Serie A’s biggest clubs.

‼️ Juve, McKennie returns to the starting lineup against NEC

Ahead of Juve’s Europa League debut tonight against NEC, Luciano Spalletti is expected to keep rotation to a minimum. The Bianconeri will take the field with 8/11 of the lineup seen in the match in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo. Vicario will once again be in goal, while Gatti will start alongside Lucumì. Completing the back four will be Çelik and Kalulu. The main new feature will be the return of Weston McKennie, who will form the midfield pair with Douglas Luiz.

There will also be changes in attack: Nick Woltemade will be the Bianconeri’s main offensive outlet. So it will be a rest night for Kolo Muani. Spalletti is instead expected to confirm Chico Conceição, Nico González and Alajbegović in attacking midfield. The Bosnian is close to earning his second start, despite the minor physical issue he picked up late in the match against Sassuolo.

😱 Milan, Saelemaekers: "We have no excuses"

Alexis Saelemaekers, a Milan winger, spoke to Sky Sport about the defeat suffered at San Siro against Benfica. “I think this is a competition of its own, we prepared well but maybe we lacked grit on the pitch. Now we have to calmly look at what went wrong so we can start again and avoid making the same mistakes,” he said after the match.

The Belgian also commented on Milan’s disappointing first halves, with 0 goals scored in the first five matches. “I think in the first half teams study each other, then obviously we have no excuses and we are Milan, we have to score. We must not repeat these mistakes in the next matches,” were his words. And on earning a starting spot: “By working—that’s the only word I can say to show that I deserve the place. The most important thing is the group, getting points and winning.”

💣 Inter, Chivu relies on the ThuLa against Roma

Inter are preparing for the huge clash against Roma, and the main new development in Cristian Chivu’s choices concerns Curtis Jones, who could start for the first time. The Englishman could be used to take advantage of his ability to make central runs and drift wide. Federico Dimarco could also return to the starting lineup, while on the right it should be Luis Henrique. Piotr Zielinski is confirmed in the playmaking role, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu still unavailable and expected back after the international break.

In defense, Manuel Akanji is a candidate to complete the back three with Yann Bisseck and Alessandro Bastoni. Up front, meanwhile, the return of the ThuLa is ready: Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram are expected to start. The Argentine has managed his energy in recent rounds and is ready to be a key figure again in the first top-of-the-table showdown.

❌ Napoli, no back three against Fiorentina

Napoli continue to prepare for the away trip against Fiorentina and, despite the idea of a possible tactical change, Massimiliano Allegri seems inclined not to alter the system. The temptation to switch to a back three had been considered by the Azzurri staff, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the choice will be to stick with a back four.

Allegri is said to have evaluated several solutions for the match at the Franchi, also taking Fiorentina’s characteristics into account. Among the possible changes is Mathias Olivera, who is a candidate to return to the starting lineup to provide greater solidity on the left flank. The Napoli coach will still have time to define the final details of the lineup, but the main indication concerns the defensive setup: Napoli should remain with a back four.

🚨 Roma, Premier League clubs circling for Malen

Donyell Malen’s performances continue to attract attention, and new reports from England have emerged about the future of the Roma forward. According to Ekrem Konur, as relayed by PagineRomaniste, several Premier League clubs have set their sights on the Dutch striker, who is firing Gasperini’s side forward with a stream of goals. The interested clubs reportedly include Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Gunners, in particular, are said to have already made some informal contacts in an effort to get ahead of the competition. Roma’s position, however, appears clear: the capital club have no intention of easily giving up a player considered important to Gasperini’s project. Malen’s valuation is said to be around €60 million. Roma can also count on a contract running until June 30, 2030.

⚠️ Lazio, Dele-Bashiru heading for a pullout against Venezia?

Lazio are preparing for the away trip against Venezia, their last match before the international break. Gennaro Gattuso still has two training sessions to resolve the final lineup doubts, especially in attack. On the wing, the battle is open between Matteo Cancellieri and Gustav Isaksen, while in the center of the front three Tijjani Noslin is pushing for a place over Andrea Pinamonti, who is back available after his ankle problem.

As reported by Lazionews24, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru seems likely to miss out, as he is still doing individual work after a muscle injury. The midfielder is not expected to be risked before the break. In defense, Danilho Doekhi is available again and is competing for a starting spot with Josip Sutalo alongside Oliver Provstgaard. On the flanks, Floriani Mussolini and Nuno Tavares are expected to be confirmed.

⚔️ Fiorentina, Paratici challenges Inter for Mendy

Fiorentina are looking to the future and have set their sights on Paul Mendy, a young Senegalese striker born in 2007 who plays for Cagliari. The player has already attracted the interest of Inter, with a Nerazzurri scout present at the stadium to watch him closely. As reported by the blog FiorentinaUno, the Viola club have now also started monitoring the Rossoblù talent.

Mendy stood out in last season’s match against Atalanta, scoring a brace and netting the fastest goal in Cagliari’s history. The club has decided to bet on him, extending his contract until June 30, 2031. Fiorentina, then, continue to track the 2007-born player, while Inter’s interest remains in the background.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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