As a result, the Dutchman would rest, but Rade Krunic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Rafael Leao, and Olivier Giroud would continue to play in the attack. Christian Pulisic, however, is anticipated to take a break, and Samuel Chukwueze will take over as the right winger.

Maignan, Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Theo Hernandez; Loftus-Cheek, Krunic, Pobega; Chukwueze, Giroud, and Leao make up the likely Milan starting lineup (4-3-3) as well.

A likely starting lineup for Newcastle (4-3-3) would include Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Tonali, Guimaraes, Longstaff, Almiron, Isak, and Gordon.

The first match of the Champions League group stages is tonight against Newcastle United, and AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli plans to make three lineup adjustments.

Mike Maignan will start in goal, with Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, and Theo Hernandez making up the back four from left to right, according to this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below).

As a result, Tomori returns to the lineup after serving a suspension during the defeat to Inter on Saturday, while Tijjani Reijnders is anticipated to be replaced in midfield by Tommaso Pobega.

Dining at Europe’s top table for the first time in 20 years, Newcastle United‘s 2023-24 Champions League baptism sees the Magpies meet seven-time winners AC Milan at San Siro in Tuesday’s Group F battle.

While the Magpies snapped a three-game losing run to defeat Brentford in their most recent Premier League affair, the Rossoneri were humiliated by old foes Inter Milan.

Match preview

A Milanese downpour drenched those in attendance at San Siro on Saturday, but there was no raining on the Inter parade during a one-sided Derby della Madonnina, as the Nerazzurri scored five goals against their arch nemesis for the first time since 1974 in a complete annihilation.

Rafael Leao had given Stefano Pioli‘s men a glimmer of hope following a Henrikh Mkhitaryan opener and Marcus Thuram rocket, but the 34-year-old former inspired Inter to a magnificent success, scoring his second of the afternoon and setting up Davide Frattesi either side of a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty against his old club.

As well as equalling that aforementioned 49-year-old goalscoring streak, Inter also made it five successive wins over Milan for the first time ever, as the Rossoneri’s Champions League journey last year also ended at the hands of their San Siro adversaries in the semi-finals, losing 3-0 on aggregate.

Nevertheless, a bullish Pioli – who had led Milan to three opening wins versus Bologna, Torino and Roma this term – insisted that he could have few qualms with his side’s efforts for the first 70 minutes of Saturday’s derby, not that his affirmations would improve the mood of the Rossoneri faithful.

However, having been billed as the ‘away’ team for that humbling defeat, Milan welcome Newcastle to San Siro having lost just one of their last 13 competitive matches as the ‘home’ side, and they bested English opposition in the shape of Tottenham Hotspur during last year’s Champions League, albeit having previously been beaten 5-0 over two group-stage ties by Chelsea.

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While Milan had strung together a three-game winning sequence in the top flight before Saturday’s embarrassment, Newcastle hosted Brentford in their most recent Premier League affair aiming to salvage a sense of pride after losing three on the bounce during a sombre summer.

A narrow defeat at Manchester City was far from disastrous, but letting a one-goal lead slip to the 10 men of Liverpool and being single-handedly torn to shreds by Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson led to some murmurs of discontent, although Eddie Howe is still believed to have the complete backing of the Magpies board.

The former Bournemouth head coach breathed the biggest sigh of relief when his side ended their three-game losing streak against the Bees, who succumbed to a Callum Wilson penalty in the second half of a tumultuous affair, in which the England striker had another goal ruled out before the Magpies were denied a second spot kick.

An imminent European sojourn may have been playing on the minds of Howe’s crop during their miserable run of results, as the Magpies gear up for their first Champions League match since the summer of 2003, where their qualifying journey ended with a penalty-shootout loss to Partizan.

Back in the days of two group stages in 2002-03, Newcastle did make a San Siro stopover to meet Inter, where an Alan Shearer brace was in vain as the Nerazzurri came back to draw 2-2, but Tuesday’s game will mark their first competitive meeting with Milan before Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund await later on in a mouthwatering Group F.

Team News

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One minor positive for Milan at the weekend was that no more players entered the infirmary with injuries, although Pioli was without centre-back Pierre Kalulu due to a thigh concern – which could keep him out for a few weeks – while Ismael Bennacer is on the long road to recovery from knee surgery.

The suspended Fikayo Tomori helplessly watched on from the sidelines as the Nerazzurri obliterated the Rossoneri, but the England international is eligible to return on Tuesday and could take the place of Malick Thiaw, who flattered to deceive and then some at the weekend.

Christian Pulisic was largely anonymous during the derby too, so Samuel Chukwueze may come into Pioli’s thinking for a start alongside Leao and Olivier Giroud, who was able to complete 77 minutes on Saturday despite taking a knock for France on international duty.

The Rossoneri will also be reunited with one of their former troops in Sandro Tonali, whose reunion with Milan was in jeopardy when he sustained an injury during the international break, but the Italian was able to make the bench against Brentford and should be reintroduced into the XI this week.

Emil Krafth (knee) and Joe Willock (calf) won’t participate in their team’s Champions League debut, and Howe has acknowledged that Joelinton won’t be ready for Tuesday’s game because of the knee injury he sustained while playing for Brazil. Meanwhile, the Magpies’ CL squad has omitted Matt Ritchie, Mark Gillespie, and Javier Manquillo.

Tonali is anticipated to return quickly, therefore 20-year-old Elliot Anderson will undoubtedly be dropped from the starting lineup. A rested Alexander Isak should replace Wilson in the number nine position despite the latter’s successful penalty kick at the weekend.

AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernandez; Pobega, Krunic, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Giroud, Leao

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Tonali, Guimaraes; Gordon, Isak, Barnes

We say:

The 10-point deduction from Juventus may have only just allowed Milan to qualify for the Champions League group stage, but the Rossoneri are still the slight favorites to start their European campaign on a high note and ruin Newcastle’s San Siro celebration.

Pioli’s team, who will gladly welcome Tomori back to the starting lineup, is blessed with significantly more European know-how than their English rivals, and they should be able to get past a vulnerable Newcastle backline while still giving Howe’s team a good showing in Milan.