AC Milan is concluding its pre-season preparations under the guidance of newly re-appointed manager Massimiliano Allegri. The team is set to face Arsenal in a friendly match in Singapore on Wednesday, and recent reports suggest Allegri has been experimenting with Rafael Leao in an unfamiliar position.
Having concluded their 2024-25 season and parted ways with Sergio Conceicao, Milan is now gearing up for the new campaign under their former head coach Allegri, whose return was made official in late May.
The Rossoneri squad, bolstered by new additions like Samuele Ricci, Luka Modric, and Pietro Terracciano, is presently in Singapore for the midweek friendly against Arsenal. Their Asian tour will continue with another significant fixture on Saturday, when they are scheduled to play against Premier League title-holders Liverpool in Hong Kong.
During Tuesday`s training session, held in anticipation of the Arsenal friendly, Allegri experimented with a tactical setup that transitioned between a 5-4-1 defensive formation and a 4-4-2 attacking shape, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Given the current lack of available strikers – Santiago Gimenez is on an extended break following the Gold Cup – Leao was deployed as Milan`s central forward throughout both defensive and attacking phases of play.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan`s defensive line featured a trio of centre-backs: Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, and Strahinja Pavlovic. Alexis Saelemaekers covered the right wing-back position, while Davide Bartesaghi was on the left.
Operating ahead of them was a midfield quartet consisting of Samuele Ricci and Ruben Loftus-Cheek centrally, Christian Pulisic on the left flank, and Yunus Musah occupying a versatile role on the right.
In possession and during offensive movements, Saelemaekers transitioned from wing-back into a wider midfield or winger position. Simultaneously, Musah shifted centrally to join Ricci.
Consequently, Tomori dropped back to function as the right-back, forming what appeared to be a four-man defense for Milan when they had the ball.
Pulisic maintained his role on the left wing, while Loftus-Cheek advanced to partner Leao in a two-player attacking front.
Currently, Luka Modric and Santiago Gimenez are not with the main Milan squad. Additionally, Emerson Royal, Yacine Adli, and Ismael Bennacer did not make the trip to Asia. Alex Jimenez and Youssouf Fofana are with the team but are undertaking individual training programs.
Milan`s Tactical Lineups Tested Before Arsenal Friendly
Defensive 5-4-1 Formation: Maignan; Saelemaekers, Tomori, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi; Musah, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic; Leao.
Attacking 4-4-2 Formation: Maignan; Tomori, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi; Saelemaekers, Musah, Ricci, Pulisic; Leao, Loftus-Cheek.
