Official: AC Milan vs. Inter starting XIs – three changes from Napoli loss | OneFootball

AC Milan and Inter will face off in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie at San Siro, and Sergio Conceicao has submitted his starting line-up.

Milan are hoping that the old adage of ‘form goes out of the window in a derby’ continues, given they have won two and drawn one against Inter this season, despite being eight places lower in the table.

Conceicao knows that he can still leave the club at the end of the season (as he is expected to) with two trophies in just six months of work, one of which came in the Supercoppa final against the Nerazzurri in his second game in charge.

The starting XIs

As highlighted in our pre-match preview, the only absentees are Emerson Royal (who should miss another 20 days), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (out for a month after appendix surgery) and Yunus Musah returns who has a fever. Malick Thiaw has recovered from a sickness bug.

Conceicao has decided to go for a four-man back line made up of Kyle Walker, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez in front of goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders the midfield double pivot.

Then, Christian Pulisic is in the attacking midfielder role, with Alex Jimenez flanking him to the right, Rafael Leao returning on the left and Tammy Abraham remaining up front.

Milan will have some options off the bench such as Santiago Gimenez, Sunday’s scorer Luka Jovic, Joao Felix, Samuel Chukwueze and Warren Bondo.

Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Gabbia, Thiaw, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Jimenez, Pulisic, Leao; Abraham.

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Terracciano, Florenzi, Pavlovic, Tomori, Bondo, Sottil, Joao Felix, Chukwueze, Gimenez, Jovic.

Official Inter XI (3-5-2): Martinez, Bisseck, De Virj, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Barella, Carlos Augusto; Thuram, Correa.

Bench: Sommer, Di Gennaro, Acerbi, Pavard, Dimarco, Lavelli, Berenbruch, Re Cecconi, Zalewski, Aidoo, Mkhitaryan, Arnautovic.