AC Milan manager Vincenzo Montella is likely to rest Juraj Kucka for the lunchtime clash at home to Crotone, with Giacomo Bonaventura also likely to miss out due to a muscular injury. A yellow card in the game against Crotone could see Kucka miss the game against Luciano Spalletti's Roma and Montella is wary of the risk of playing the midfielder. 

 

This afternoon’s game against Davide Nicola's Serie A strugglers could be an opportunity for the likes of Paulo Sosa and Mario Pasalic, who are likely to step into the shoes of the aforementioned duo. 

 

Sosa, 31, joined the Rossoneri from Turkish Giants Besiktas last summer for a fee in the region of €7.5m. He has seen a very limited amount of time on pitch however, making only five appearances in all competitions this season. Pasalic, much like Sosa, has made just four appearances for the rossoneri so far. The 21-year-old is currently on a loan spell at San Siro from Premier League giants Chelsea. 

 

The game against Crotone will allow Milan a big chance to close the gap to Juve at the top of the Serie A back to four points, after the bianconeri’s win in Turin against Atalanta last night. Although coming up against opposition such as Crotone, who are still finding their way in Serie A, should encourage Montella to rotate his side, the former Fiorentina boss will be aware that considering the kind of season that the Rossoneri have had, they would like to continue their impressive run with an assured performance on Sunday. 

 

Both Bonaventura and Kucka have been vital cogs in the wheel at San Siro, forming a key part of Montella's system. Kucka, 29, has been used in a variety of positions, including as a striker and has scored once in 12 Serie A outings so far. 

 

Bonaventura, on the other hand, has been one of the rossoneri’s most influential players this season. The Italian's versatility has often allowed Montella's men the chance to push the opposition full back into his own half, when he is deployed as a wide man. He has scored twice, assisting just as many times in 14 appearances. 

 

 

Milan (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Ignazio Abate, Gabriel Paletta, Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia De Sciglio; Jose Sosa, Manuel Locatelli, Mario Pasalic; Suso, Gianluca Lapadula, M’Baye Niang.  

Crotone (4-3-3): Cordaz; Martella,Ceccherini, Ferrari, Rosi; Capezzi, Rohden, Barberis; Trotta, Falcinelli, Palladino
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Kaustubh Pandey @TheFootyMad