Milan-Inter, Leao is the central striker in the derby: starting lineup

The outgoing coach will change the Rossoneri team, as the Portuguese will play at the heart of the attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Pulisic on the left and Musa on the right.

Everything, absolutely everything, about Rafa Liao. In this evening's derby, Stefano Pioli is heading towards pushing with a different Milan: Leao will be at the heart of the devil, in fact and positionally, because he must start as a centre-forward. Giroud, the man who scored a brace in the 2022 Scudetto derby, is set to start on the bench.

Because of Rafa

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Pioli's match plan will revolve around different concepts than the usual ones: it will be Milan that will look less for possession and high aggression, to try to hit Inter with counterattacks. Leao will move into the center of attack with that very task: to find depth and try to surprise opponents with speed. Behind him will be Loftus-Cheek, in an attacking midfield position, Pulisic, who has moved to the left, and Musa, a tall right winger whose duties are also likely to be supported by the midfield duo in front of the defence, formed by Adly and Reynders. The rest of the line-up will be announced: Maignane in goal, with Calabria and Theo on the wings and the Gabbia-Tomori duo in the middle (a mandatory selection, given Thiao's exclusion and Kjaer and Kalulu not participating).

Cards from the bench

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As the match begins, Pioli will be able to count on a bench full of strikers: in addition to the usual Jovic and Okafor, performance guarantees as substitutes, resources called Chukwueze and Giroud. The Nigerian is among the best players in the Rossoneri team, but, barring any last-minute surprises, his second derby will start like the first (in the first leg he played 34 minutes, coming in the second half); The Frenchman is a guarantee on nights that count, especially against Inter (3 goals and 2 assists in 4 derbies), but he will be “sacrificed” in the name of the tactical plan. Giroud is in his last derby: his contract, which expires in June, will not be renewed, and the Los Angeles club in the United States of America is waiting for him.