Season Finale : Milan – Salernitana
As it turns out Milan will finish this somewhat anticlimactic season against a last placed team that is Salernitana. With second place secured earlier last week’s 3-1 loss to Torino only served to highlight the defensive woes that have plagued Pioli’s Milan. With the knowledge that the coach’s day are numbered it seemed that any possible fixes were abandoned a Torino ran away relatively easy winners.
The new coach, rumored to be ex-Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, will have to stabilize the shape of the team. The Portuguese coach’s name has been one of many arguably underwhelming names linked and his arrival will not set a new excitement mark, but more on summer plans later as they happen.
Pioli is not the only one to be receiving a farewell at the San Siro. Giroud confirmed his departure to MLS’ LAFC earlier and Kjaer will also leave Milan. All three deserve a fond goodbye with one delivering a much hoped for Scudetto, the other for breaking the number 9 curse and finally the Danish veteran for providing leadership at the back.
As for this game Maignan’s almost continuous injury woes has put his Milan future in some question. Will Gerry Cardinale and management contemplate one big sale in the French goalkeeper or perhaps Theo. Time will tell. Sportiello will start in goal in any case. Kjaer might get a farewell start but Gabbia and Tomori are the likeliest defenders to start alongside Calabria and Theo. The middle three is set to be Bennacer, Adli and Reijnders but Pioli could decide to give Musah another start. Upfront Leao will regain his starting spot that had been lost for unknown reasons. Giroud should get the farewell start and Pulisic can consider his Milan debut season a big success with another start at right wing.
The disappointing Salernitana are led once again by Stefano Colantuono. He is the the team’s third coach of the season after Paulo Sousa and Pippo Inzaghi failed to get the team going.
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