Week 20: Milan – Roma

Update January 6: A makeshift, or at least a B, defense of sorts starts for Milan:
Maignan; Florenzi, Kalulu, Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Messias, Diaz, Saelemaekers; Giroud
Bench: Mirante, Nava Lapo, Ibra, Rebic, Conti, Leao, Maldini, Bakayoko, Stanga
Update January 6: Four Serie A matches have been ‘postponed’ due to the inability of the teams to travel. The local health authorities over ruling the Serie A’s preference to go ahead if a team has 13 players available, those 13 needs to include at least one goalkeeper. This has led to team with less positive cases to have postponed matches than those with more. This Milan versus Roma game is going ahead with Milan 5 positives and Roma 3 positives (reportedly).
Update January 5: Five Milan players are now in COVID-19 isolation, though not all confirmed the names are thought to be Tomori, Romagnoli and Calabria with Tatarusanu and Castillejo. As Lega Serie A is apparently unwilling to postpone games and with cases spreading wide and health authorities forbidding travel there might be games that are forfeited.

The second half of the 2021-2022 Serie A and a new year start versus Roma with some question marks but cautious optimism that at least the injury crisis is waning.

Calabria and Ibra are said to be ready and Rebic and Leao very close to being ready. The pandemic lurks as an ever present threat and Tatarusanu is the latest player to be stricken. The Africa Cup of Nations has depleted Milan’s depth with Kessie, Bennacer and Ballo-Toure away for the Ivory Coast, Algeria and Senegal respectively.

The line up will be altered most in midfield of course with Tonali and Bakayoko the only obvious options although Krunic has a good chance of playing instead of the underperforming latter.

Roma are missing Borja Mayoral due to COVID protocols, El Shaarawy not fully fit and have Amadou Diawara away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

There is always more on the forum.