Week 24: SPAL 2013 – Milan

Follow the game as it happens, on the forum.

The three game winning streak came to a halt. Week 23’s 1-1 tie at Udinese should count as a disappointment. Suso’s typically spectacular goal – shot from distance that hit the underside of the cross bar and went in – was cancelled out by a Donnarumma own goal. The own goal was an end result of poor concentration by more or less the whole team that allowed a cross which Donnarumma mishandled after Bonucci had the slightest of headers. There was also an unnecessary second yellow which had Calabria sent off. The other story of the game was a somewhat surprise start for Andre Silva. The Portuguese didn’t get much service and was not a major contributor. The young forward has becoming a talking point of the season with fans divided on if he has a future on the team or not.

Kalinic came on for the aforementioned Portuguese forward but misses this week 24 match at SPAL with a thigh problem. The likely starter becomes Cutrone, almost by default. Suso and Calhanoglu will continue to start up front. The latter has been praised by Gattuso and is now a more established Milan player. In the middle there is little change, Biglia is favourite over Montolivo and Kessie and Bonaventura remain first choice. Offering different characteristics has helped the three and the team. The back four has been more fluid due to injuries and suspensions. Rodriguez is back after both a suspension and a stomach illness. Abate will likely get the nod on the right. Donnarumma is the goalkeeper behind Bonucci and Romagnoli as usual.

SPAL are in the relegation zone and without the injured Marco Borriello. SPAL of course feature two other players familiar with Milan fans in Alberto Paloschi and Bartosz Salamon.