Milan coach Paulo Fonseca looks set to make another surprising decision ahead of tomorrow night’s crucial match against Napoli at San Siro. Calciomercato report that the Portuguese manager has apparently decided to leave Rafael Leao out of the starting lineup once again, with Noah Okafor expected to take his place. Completing the attacking trio behind striker Alvaro Morata will be Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze, who is said to be in excellent form.
This would mark Leao’s second exclusion from the starting XI in just 10 days. The first instance, against Udinese, was explained as a decision influenced by Leao’s less-than-perfect technical condition and his commitments with the Portuguese national team. However, this time it appears to be a purely tactical choice by Fonseca.
In defense, Malick Thiaw is favored over Strahinja Pavlovic to replace the injured Matteo Gabbia. In midfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is expected to start in place of the suspended Tijjani Reijnders, with Yunus Musah as the alternative option.
The only remaining selection dilemma appears to be at left-back, where Filippo Terracciano is currently favored over Davide Calabria. Fonseca has given himself a few more hours to reflect before finalizing his team selection, but it seems increasingly likely that Milan will line up with Okafor in the starting XI and Leao on the bench.
This bold decision by Fonseca could have significant implications for both the match against Napoli and Milan’s broader tactical approach moving forward.
