Football Italia
·20 December 2024
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·20 December 2024
Milan drop Theo Hernandez for the second game in a row, despite an injury crisis forcing Tijjani Reijnders and Filippo Terracciano into new roles against Hellas Verona.
It kicks off at the Stadio Bentegodi at 19.45 GMT.
Paulo Fonseca is under increasing pressure after just one win in the last five Serie A games and dismal performances, although the Milan fans have turned largely on the players and club owners rather than their coach.
This is also because he is taking a stand against Theo Hernandez, dropping him for the second match in a row after a poor attitude in the Champions League, as Alex Jimenez was impressive standing in at left-back.
The absentee list just keeps growing for Milan with Alvaro Morata suffering from tonsillitis, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Yunus Musah, Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic, Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi out of action.
It means after trying 17-year-old Mattia Liberali in midfield against Genoa, Fonseca this time moves full-back Terracciano into that role, pushing Reijnders into the more advanced trequartista position behind Tammy Abraham and Rafael Leao.
PARMA, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Amin Sarr of Hellas Verona FC scores his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Parma and Verona at Stadio Ennio Tardini on December 15, 2024 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Verona had been in dire straits with four consecutive Serie A defeats and coach Paolo Zanetti seemed certain for the sack when beaten 4-1 at home by Empoli.
However, they kept faith with him and he ended that run with a 3-2 victory away to Parma.
Aboud Harroui was ruled out for the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, joining Martin Frese and Juan Manuel Cruz on the treatment table.
Jackson Tchatchoua and Darko Lazovic take the wide roles, with Tomas Suslov supporting Amin Sarr.
It is a busy time for Verona, as by the end of 2024 the sale from President Maurizio Setti to American fund Presidio Private Investors is expected to be completed.
Before kick-off, the players from both teams will walk out with seven rescue puppies from a local centre who have been ‘adopted’ by Hellas Verona until they can find a forever home.
Verona: Montipò; Dawidowicz, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Belahyane, Duda, Kastanos, Lazovic; Suslov; Sarr
Milan: Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Thiaw, Jimenez; Terracciano, Fofana; Chukwueze, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham