Season opener Milan – Torino

The off season and summer of 2024 got of to a fast start with Pioli’s departure and Paulo Fonseca’s hiring as his replacement. The Portuguese coach was not the most anticipated or well perceived coach among fans and others but his era began early in the summer and is off to fast start on the pitch. Milan has just completed its pre-season undefeated and with some praise for Fonseca’s coaching style. However, Milan’s summer market has been a typical snail’s pace of changes. Three arrivals have signed on with less than consensus among fans. Morata, Pavlovic and Emerson Royal will have a lot to prove even if the first has had a successful summer and and more. Further arrivals might be few or perhaps just one in Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana. The latter, just like the initial three, fulfills team’s needs but to do better than last season’s second place and disappointing Champions League campaign will demand even more.

For now though the season opens versus Torino. The changes are still to be fully integrated. Morata for example captained Spain to Euro 2024 triumph and has been on vacation until recently. Pavlovic and Emerson Royal wont start needing more time to find their feet. A more familiar Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori and Hernandez back four will start in front of Maignan. Fofona now looks a certain arrival as he has insisted he wants Milan but the midfield has no new faces the very immediate future and will look just as familiar as the back four. Bennacer, Reijnders should anchor the midfield. Chukwueze’s summer form should earn him a start and if he does he will push Pulisic to the middle closer to Leao. If Pulisic is deemed not 100% as has been reported Loftus- Cheek will start instead. The injury list does have two long term names already with Sportiello and Florenzi out for an extended period. The former via a freak accident injuring his left hand finger and the latter reconstructing his ACL after suffering the injury during the summer preseason game versus Manchester City.

There have been some changes at Torino as well with departures like Ricardo Rodriguez, arrivals like Duvan Zapata and a new coach in Paolo Vanoli, formerly of Venezia and others.

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