Serie A LIVE: Milan vs. Verona
Milan are simply decimated by injuries and COVID, but Olivier Giroud is back in the starting XI with Ciprian Tatarusanu in goal against Nikola Kalinic’s Hellas Verona.
It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
Stefano Pioli must be wondering what he did do get so much bad luck, as the problems keep piling up in the Milan infirmary.
Mike Maignan was ruled out for at least three months after wrist surgery this week, with third-choice Alessandro Plizzari also absent until January, so Tatarusanu takes the gloves with 38-year-old free agent Antonio Mirante signed as emergency back-up.
The biggest problem is COVID, as Theo Hernandez and Brahim Diaz both tested positive this week.
Alessandro Florenzi, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Junior Messias are also out of action, but the good news is that Giroud is ready to start, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic back on the bench for only the second time this season.
Gaps must be filled, so young Fode Ballo-Toure and Daniel Maldini get rare starts, with Ismael Bennacer preferred to Sandro Tonali.
Hellas Verona are an unpredictable side, who sacked Eusebio Di Francesco after he lost all three Serie A games, bringing in Igor Tudor.
The situation definitely improved, as the new coach is still unbeaten with wins over Roma and Spezia, and goal-packed draws away to Salernitana and Genoa.
Miguel Veloso is available after a long lay-off to pull the midfield strings, leaving only Gianluca Frabotta on the treatment table.
Antonin Barak and Gianluca Caprari support ex-Milan flop Nikola Kalinic.
Milan: Tatarusanu; Calabria, Tomori, Romagnoli, Ballo-Toure; Bennacer, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Maldini, Rebic; Giroud
Verona: Montipò; Ceccherini, Gunter, Casale; Faraoni, Ilic, Veloso, Lazovic; Barak, Caprari; Kalinic
Ref: Prontera