Month: November 2025

The derby was won with a relatively healthy squad featuring both Leao and Pulisic on the pitch together. Possession means less and less in today’s football and it was Inter who had most of the ball to little effect. The game finished 1-0 and the sole goal came from a counter which the hard working and increasingly important Saelemaekers used well, his curved ball into the box was so that Yann Sommer could only get a hand to the ball and present it to the on rushing Pulisic. A penalty given threatened to derail the win but Maignan further solidified his Magic Mike nickname but fooling Calhanoglu and saving the shut out win. More can be said about the penalty, refereeing and VAR but it remains clear that football rules and their application are very much broken and inconsistent.

Now is the time for Milan to build on the derby win. Maurizio Sarri and Lazio have not exactly had a great start. Lazio sit eighth and have scored a somewhat surprising low number of 15 goals in their 12 Serie A matches so far. I Biancocelesti will miss players like Danilo Cataldi and Nicolo Rovella for this match as well providing a better opportunity for Milan. That is not to say Milan are ever truly injury free. Pulisic has a training ground knock, described as not serious, and will very likely miss this match. Nkunku or Loftus-Cheek will replace the American along side Leao. The midfield five will likely not change. The aforementioned Saelemaekers will start with Fofana, Modric, Rabiot and the imporving Bartesaghi. The back three consists of Tomor, Gabbia and Pavlovic in front of the very much in form Maignan. The French goalkeeper’s form has added urgency to his impending Bosman status. However it remains unlikely that he will be a Milan player next season.

A Coppa Italia rematch with Lazio follows five days after this one but in Rome.

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Milan followed the hard-won game versus Roma with yet more points dropped against teams lower in the table. The 2-2 tie at Parma had Milan throwing away a two goal lead and falling back to third in the standings. Inter meanwhile have surged back to the top and perhaps surprised a few on the way.

Injuries have played a part in the recent relative poor form but the manner in which Milan have dropped points this season is familiar to many and is something that stretches back to many previous seasons.

There is good news on the injury front at least and the international break has given time for some recovery. Rabiot and Pulisic are ready for action and their presence is very much needed.

Maignan will start alongside Tomori, Gabbia and Pavlovic as expected. The latter’s fight and hard running has been on display and saved Milan in recent matches. Saelemaekers’ willingness will be needed as well and he will start with Fofana, Modric, Rabiot and possibly Bartesaghi in the middle. Estupinan was the subject of several flop calls versus Parma and may find himself back on the bench for the derby. Fofana deserves the same tag but it remains to be seen if Allegri finds more room for Ricci and Jashari.

Pulisic is of course a starter and so is Leao. The Portuguese’s speed and skills will go a long way in deciding the derby. If he uses them well ofcourse. Gimenez is apparently nursing an ankle injury but no official timetable is available for his return. In these days of instant flops the Mexican may indeed not remain a Milan player for too much longer.

As mentioned above, Inter are having a good run. Cristian Chivu has so far managed to keep Inter moving well. Denzel Dumfries and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are set to miss the derby. The former has developed an agitator reputation and his past dwells with Milan players is now well documented.

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As the November international break takes attention somewhat away from Milan and other clubs teams it is good to look how the 2024-2025 season compared to the current season after 11 games. The current season sees Milan improved by five points and five places in the standings. The improvement in goals allowed is evident dropping by four. If losses and ties to Parma, Cremonese and other lowly teams is taken away Allegri and Milan have improved by more than these simple stats indicate. The injuries to Pulisic and Rabiot have not helped the cause in recent weeks but they will both return after the break. The former should be ready for a start in the derby on November 23.

Napoli, the subject of recent discord rumours, have only one loss more compared to last season. The top 8 also includes more unexpected teams this season with Como and Sassuolo having good starts.

The week 10 game versus Roma started as poorly as one could imagine. To say the team started slow would be an understatement. Roma couldn’t translate the dominance to goals and as the first half neared its end the game changed. The moment came in the 39th minute when a counter started deep in the Milan zone. Saelemaekers took on the ball, found Leao wide, and Leao ran hard towards the Roma goal. Pavlovic always working hard and running up had followed in the central lane, he received Leao’s cut back and put the ball in the net close range. The game was not the same after the goal. Milan had the better possession for most of the remaining 51 minutes. It was not all good of course and Fofana, a disappointment even before the incident, raised his arm in the wall defending a Roma freekick and Roma were given a penalty. Maignan dove well and pushed the low Dybala ball out for a corner. After the save Marco Guida, the referee, had his moment in a close up with Saelemaekers. The Belgian’s celebration was perhaps too intentionally close to the referee and the resulting incident went viral. In the end Milan hung on for an important win.

Parma do not represent as a big a threat as Roma but this of course means little in professional football and especially with Milan’s track record against teams lower in the standings. Parma enter this week 11 match having scored a Serie A low five goals. Nevertheless Milan players need to act like pros and ready to go from the first minute. The injured list has fewer names on it and crucially Pulisic could be ready for the bench. The starting 11 is expected to change little however. Maignan, still a likely Bosman next summer, fresh from the aforementioned penalty save will of course start in goal. Tomori, Gabbia and the fully committed hard working Pavlovic start at the back. Rabiot is close to a return but the middle five should stay the same. Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci and Bartesaghi are expected to start. Fofana arguably needs to be benched and perhaps a chance should be given to recent injury returnee Jashari. It is also possible that Estupinan, now recovered, can slot back in for Bartesaghi. Leao and Nkunku are the only real options for the front. Gimenez has claimed to be suffering from an ankle injury but official word of its severity has not arrived.

Zion Suzuki’s name has been mooted as a possible Maignan replacement next season. The Parma goalkeeper is seen as a good replacement. As with Milan talk and rumours few things can be certain until well into a transfer window. Before next summer Milan will need to add other reinforcements in the January transfer window.

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Atalanta troubled Milan during the midweek match, but that was not really unexpected. Riding high at the top of the table Milan had met last placed Pisa days earlier and only managed a 2-2 tie, another not unexpected result. The 1-1 tie at Atalanta was not the worst possible result of course but showed the limitation of a thin and injury riddled team. It is disappointing to hear an experienced coach talking about not expecting injuries. Especially in today’s fixture congested reality and indeed Milan’s own injury track record Allegri’s statement sounds naive at best.

Estupinan is back and so is Jashari. The former may not regain his place as Allegri is happy with Bartesaghi in the left back spot, for now. The latter is back from long term injury and needs to be integrated and regain shape before major minutes. Pulisic is close enough to perhaps be available next week at Parma and Rabiot after the international break for the derby. Tomori got a knock in midweek and is set to miss this game, De Winter is the ready replacement. Gimenez who has become the subject of “flop” headlines is set to miss this match with a knock as well. Leao, while not 100%, is expected to start. Nkunku is favoured to be his upfront partner instead of a more withdrawn Loftus-Cheek. The Englishman came on in the second half versus Atalanta and impressed but he may move back further to the midfield and take Ricci’s spot.

Modric has played many full game minutes and looks a bit less effective every match. His presence has of course altered the midfield picture and Milan’s excellent start to the season is partly owed to the veteran Croatian. Therefore he will start until otherwise unable. Rabiot will be missed as he has also played a big part in the strong start. Gasperini’s Roma present a very strong challenge at this point of the season. Dybala and co are currently tied at the top with Napoli three points ahead of Milan. I Giallorossi look like a team to fight for the scudetto or at least one of the top four spots.

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